title: 'Depression is not an illness. It's up to you to make yourself happy': Perceptions of Chinese health professionals and community workers about older Chinese immigrants' experiences of depression and anxiety.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to improve our understanding of depression and anxiety among older immigrant Chinese Australians.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was based on the National Ageing Research Institute's Cultural Exchange Model, an iterative process of exchange between researchers and stakeholders. The project involved a range of components including consultations with health professionals and community workers about perceptions of depression and anxiety within the Chinese community. This paper reports on these consultation findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thematic analysis generated five main categories to explain participants' perceptions of depression and anxiety within the Chinese community. Themes included: lack of knowledge; personal weakness rather than illness; stigma; somatisation; and experience of migration in later life. Responses to questions about education and information dissemination were collated separately and reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Views of depression and anxiety among older Chinese people suggest that educating the community may be an important way to improve mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion Division, National Ageing Research Institute Ltd, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Haralambous
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion Division, National Ageing Research Institute Ltd, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Briony
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dow
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age, The University of Melbourne, Kew, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Nancy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Pachana
authors.affiliation: Centre for Women's Mental Health, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bryant
authors.affiliation: Royal Park Campus, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: LoGiudice
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion Division, National Ageing Research Institute Ltd, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Xiaoping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel / Q000208:ethnology*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000523:psychology*; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010465:Perception; D011287:Prejudice / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D013240:Stereotyping
keywords: anxiety; depression; older Chinese immigrant