title: Prevalence and Predictors of Depression in Korean American Elderly: Findings from the Memory and Aging Study of Koreans (MASK).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence and identify the predictors of depression among community-dwelling Korean American elderly (KAE).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional descriptive epidemiological survey using a two-step sampling strategy to obtain a representative community sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors recruited study participants at religious, service, and business establishments in the KA community (26 churches, 6 senior centers, 2 medical daycare centers, 1 supermarket).
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-dwelling first-generation KAE (N = 1,118; mean age ± SD: 70.5 ± 7.0 years; female: 67.2%).
  
  
  METHODS
  Trained bilingual nurses and community health workers interviewed participants face-to-face for demographic information, chronic conditions, and depression using the Korean versions of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9K).
  
  
  RESULTS
  30.3% of KAEs were classified as having either mild (PHQ-9K score 5-9; N = 218, 19.5%) or clinical depression (PHQ-9K score ≥10; N = 120, 10.8%), respectively. One of seven KAE (N = 164, 14.7%) endorsed thoughts of death or self-injury, but only 63 (5.7%) reported utilizing mental health services. The authors also identified several predictors of depression, including living arrangement (living alone versus living with family/spouse); having chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, digestive disorders, or chronic bronchitis; years of education; and cognitive impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors' findings reveal a high prevalence of depression among KAE and a low level of mental health service utilization. Because there are urgent needs for culturally and contextually relevant interventions, the authors also discuss the feasibility of community-based interventions to reduce the burden of depression, which should be incorporated into a management system for multiple chronic conditions.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX.
authors.forename: Miyong T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Korean Resource Center, Ellicott City, MD. Electronic address: kbkim@ikorean.org.
authors.forename: Kim B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Hae-Ra
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
authors.forename: Boyun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.affiliation: Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA.
authors.forename: Tam
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
authors.forename: Hochang B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Korean American elderly; PHQ-9K; chronic conditions; depression