Abstract
While it is recognized that medical and neurological comorbities complicate the accurate diagnosis and treatment of late-life depression, the possibility that patient race or even gender may affect management decisions is less discussed. This article reviews the current literature on racial differences in the diagnosis and treatment of late-life depression, including recent studies on physician contribution to disparities. These studies suggests that physician bias, based simply on patient race, is not a likely explantion for diagnostic and treatment differences and that other factors may be involved. Suggestions for culturally-informed late-life depression assessment are included.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 18-21 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Geriatrics |
| Volume | 61 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| State | Published - May 1 2006 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Differential diagnosis
- Disparities
- Physician bias
- Race
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
Cite this
Race and depression : Does race affect the diagnosis and treatment of late-life depression? / Kales, Helen C.; Mellow, Alan M.
In: Geriatrics, Vol. 61, No. 5, 01.05.2006, p. 18-21.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Race and depression
T2 - Does race affect the diagnosis and treatment of late-life depression?
AU - Kales, Helen C.
AU - Mellow, Alan M.
PY - 2006/5/1
Y1 - 2006/5/1
N2 - While it is recognized that medical and neurological comorbities complicate the accurate diagnosis and treatment of late-life depression, the possibility that patient race or even gender may affect management decisions is less discussed. This article reviews the current literature on racial differences in the diagnosis and treatment of late-life depression, including recent studies on physician contribution to disparities. These studies suggests that physician bias, based simply on patient race, is not a likely explantion for diagnostic and treatment differences and that other factors may be involved. Suggestions for culturally-informed late-life depression assessment are included.
AB - While it is recognized that medical and neurological comorbities complicate the accurate diagnosis and treatment of late-life depression, the possibility that patient race or even gender may affect management decisions is less discussed. This article reviews the current literature on racial differences in the diagnosis and treatment of late-life depression, including recent studies on physician contribution to disparities. These studies suggests that physician bias, based simply on patient race, is not a likely explantion for diagnostic and treatment differences and that other factors may be involved. Suggestions for culturally-informed late-life depression assessment are included.
KW - Differential diagnosis
KW - Disparities
KW - Physician bias
KW - Race
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33646863891&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33646863891&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Review article
C2 - 16649814
AN - SCOPUS:33646863891
VL - 61
SP - 18
EP - 21
JO - Geriatrics
JF - Geriatrics
SN - 0016-867X
IS - 5
ER -