C. Brown et al., CLINICAL PRESENTATIONS OF MAJOR DEPRESSION BY AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND WHITES IN PRIMARY MEDICAL-CARE PRACTICE, Journal of affective disorders, 41(3), 1996, pp. 181-191
This study compared the psychiatric history and presenting clinical ch
aracteristics of 119 African American and 153 white patients assessed
for and participating in a randomized control trial of treatments for
major depression in primary care practice. African Americans and white
s participated equally in the assessment process, and both groups pres
ented with similar psychiatric treatment histories, severity of depres
sion, level of psychosocial functioning, and severity of medical illne
ss. However, racial differences were evident in the comorbidity of psy
chiatric disorders, severity of somatic symptoms, self-reported physic
al functioning, life stress, and health beliefs. Implications for the
recognition of depression in African American primary care patients ar
e discussed.