Ethnic differences in the dynamics of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older Americans.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined differences in the trajectory of depressive symptoms between Hispanic, Black, and White Americans in middle and old age.


METHODS
Data came from a national sample of Americans with up to 6 repeated assessments spanning 11 years. Hierarchical linear models with time-varying covariates were used.


RESULTS
Hispanics started with the worst depressive symptomatology, followed by Black Americans, whereas White Americans had the fewest symptoms. These differences, however, diminished over time. More importantly, net of socioeconomic and health differentials, the depressive symptoms trajectory did not differ between Blacks and Whites, whereas Hispanics still started with worse symptoms and had a greater rate of reduction in symptomatology compared to Whites.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant ethnic differences exist in both the intercept and rate of change in depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older Americans. These variations are substantially confounded by socioeconomic and health differentials.
Xiao Xu
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. xiaox@med.umich.edu
Liang
Jersey
J
Bennett
Joan M
JM
Quiñones
Ana R
AR
Wen Ye
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology