Cultural equivalence in depressive symptoms in older white, black, and Mexican-American adults.
OBJECTIVE
To examine cultural equivalence in responses to depressive symptom items of three racial or ethnic elderly groups.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analyses of two national data sets.


METHODS
The New Haven Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE) and the five-state Hispanic EPESE (H-EPESE).


METHODS
Whites (n=1,876) and blacks (n=464) were drawn from the New Haven EPESE and Mexican Americans (n=2,623) were drawn from the H-EPESE.


METHODS
The original 20-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).


RESULTS
From differential item functioning analyses, a lack of measurement equivalence was found for 16 depressive symptom items. Mexican Americans were predisposed to endorse 12 depressive symptoms. Blacks were more likely than whites to endorse two interpersonal items (unfriendly and disliked). Mexican Americans were more likely than whites to respond to four positive affect items (good, hopeful, happy, and enjoyed) and more likely than blacks to endorse three positive items (good, happy, and enjoyed).


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggested response bias to depressive symptom items in racially and ethnically diverse older adults. Mexican Americans were more likely than whites to endorse the large number of depressive symptom items. Blacks were much more likely to respond in patterns similar to those of the whites. Findings from this study provide a foundation for developing culturally appropriate depression measures in health disparities research.
Kim
Giyeon
G
Department of Aging and Mental Health Disparities, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MHC 1400, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. gkim@fmhi.usf.edu
Chiriboga
David A
DA
Jang
Yuri
Y
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*