title: African American Clergy and Depression: What they know; What they want to know.
abstract: Nearly 40% of African Americans use clergy as their primary source of help with depression. However, less than half of African American clergy are trained in counseling.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  1) to examine how African American cler recognize depression and 2) identify what they need to more effectively identify and address depression in their congregants.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a descriptive, quantitative study using a Personal Profile Questionnaire and a Mental Health Counseling Survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-five clergy completed the data collection tools; approximately 50% had some training in counseling. The majority could identify signs of depression. Eighty-one percent stated they needed additional education about depression and access to referral resources.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If clergy take an active role in addressing the issue of depression and establishing liaisons with mental health professionals the stigma associated with depression could be greatly reduced, and individuals might enter into treatment earlier thus improving their quality of life.
authors.forename: Jean Spann
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Anthony
authors.forename: April
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schafer
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002977:Clergy / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D010327:Pastoral Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D024382:Professional Role; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D014481:United States