title: A community-based wellness program to reduce depression in African Americans: results from a pilot intervention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  African Americans are less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to find antidepressants acceptable or seek care for depression.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To develop and pilot test a culturally tailored, community-based, psychoeducational wellness and exercise promotion program to reduce depressive symptoms in African Americans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were African Americans with moderate depressive symptoms who were interested in exercise but were not exercising regularly. They attended a 6-week psychoeducational group program during which they set personal activity goals and learned depression self-management skills. We conducted pre- and postintervention surveys and postintervention feedback sessions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one African Americans participated in the intervention. The program had excellent attendance and satisfaction. We found a large reduction in depressive symptoms, with mean Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores dropping from 14.8 to 7.1 (p < .0001), and increases in exercise and depression self-efficacy and behaviors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study offers promising preliminary evidence to inform further research on the use of community-based, culturally tailored wellness programs to address depression.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nicolaidis
authors.forename: Corliss
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McKeever
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meucci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D054521:Cultural Competency; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D014495:Universities / Q000458:organization & administration