Similar to detection, there also exist racial disparities in the sustained treatment of depression in older Black adults. One study found that compared to elderly Whites, elderly Blacks with depression ha a 47% reduced of odds have having their depression actively managed (Gallo et al., 2005). As previously mentioned, although studies have not consistently found a significant racial difference in the prevalence of depressive symptoms or MDD, numerous studies have found these conditions to persist in Blacks at a higher prevalence. Persistence of depressive symptoms in Blacks is likely at least partially attributable to their lower likelihood to receive sustained …show more content…
What’s more, persons with subclinical significant symptoms of depression have a 29.3% risk for developing clinically significant depressive symptoms, compared to an absolute risk of 15.9% of all participants (Schoevers et al., 2006). This risk of developing depression among those with sub-clinical depression was greater than other factors that increase risk for depression including disability (24.5% greater absolute risk), and medical illness (19.2% greater absolute risk). Although spousal death was the single greatest risk factor for developing depression in older adults, fewer cases of depression can be prevented by tackling this concern (i.e. selective prevention intervention) compared to the prevention of depression by detecting and addressing sub-clinical depressive symptoms (Schoevers et al., 2006) Thus, research suggests that compared to geriatric depression interventions for older adults who are at risk for depression due to disability (i.e. selective interventions), indicated preventions for those with sub-threshold symptoms of depression would have greater effect and require less effort (Hindi, Dew, Albert, Lotrich, & Reynolds, 2011). Indicated prevention interventions for depressive symptoms are also more attractive than universal interventions in this population because they tend …show more content…
The decision to adapt a depression prevention program from a treatment program is supported by at least one prior trial among older adults that adapted an indicated depression treatment program from depression treatment program that was implemented in the primary care setting (Sriwattanakomen et al., 2010). Moreover, the proposed intervention made significant modifications in its approach compared to the BTB intervention. The proposed intervention is detailed below, and Figure 1 (page 14) comprises a flowchart of intervention