Concepts and Causation of Depression: A Cross-Cultural Study of the Beliefs of Older Adults

Abstract

A social model of depression is closer to the beliefs of older people than the traditional medical model. Culturally appropriate inquiries about recent life events could be used to facilitate discussion about depression. Our data suggest that many older adults would respond to probing by primary care physicians about their mood. Health and social care professionals need to be sensitive to the language of depression used by different ethnic groups.