title: Entertainment-education? A fotonovela? A new strategy to improve depression literacy and help-seeking behaviors in at-risk immigrant Latinas.
abstract: Research shows high risk for depression among immigrant Latinas known to increase during the acculturation process. Several barriers such as stigma and low health literacy result in an under-utilization of needed treatment among these women. In response, this study replicated the effectiveness of a Spanish language fotonovela, a form of Entertainment-Education (E-E), designed to increase depression literacy, decrease stigma, and increase help-seeking knowledge and behavior in Latinos. Specifically, this study evaluated a fotonovela delivered in a multifaceted approach to health education used by promotoras. A pretest-posttest randomized control group experimental design with 142 immigrant Latinas at risk for depression was employed. Results indicate significant posttest improvements in depression knowledge, self-efficacy to identify the need for treatment, and decreased stigma in experimental as compared to control group participants. Findings support the application of E-E health literacy tools such as fotonovelas, delivered in multifaceted approaches to health education used by promotoras, to Latinas at risk for mental health concerns.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, 120 Haviland Hall #7400, Berkeley, CA, 94720-7400, USA, mariay.hernandez@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Maria Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: Kurt C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Organista
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003866:Depressive Disorder; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000379:methods*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010174:Pamphlets; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D057545:Social Stigma; D055815:Young Adult