This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Download to citation manager PubMed PubMed Citation

Within-Group Differences in Depression Among Older Hispanics Living in the United States

¹ Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, Massachusetts.
² Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
³ Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
⁴ Health Science Center School of Public Health, University of North Texas, Fort Worth.

Address correspondence to Frances M. Yang, PhD, Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, 1200 Centre Street, Boston, MA 02131. E-mail: francesyang{at}hrca.harvard.edu

Using the Health and Retirement Study, we examine the prevalence of depression in different groups of Hispanic older adults. Respondents (n = 759) were aged 59 and older and identified themselves as Mexican American (56%), Cuban American (13%), Puerto Rican (8%), other (8%), or not specified (15%). We used a modified version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression scale and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview to assess depressive symptoms and the presence of major depression. Relative to Puerto Ricans, each Hispanic group had significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms, except for Cuban Americans; and each Hispanic group had lower prevalence rates for major depression, except for other Hispanics, even after we adjusted for sociodemographic, cultural factors, socioeconomic, functional limitations, and chronic health conditions.

Key Words: Depression • Older Hispanics • Puerto Ricans • Mexican Americans • Cuban Americans