LIFETIME AND 12-MONTH PREVALENCE RATES OF MAJOR DEPRESSIVE EPISODES AND DYSTHYMIA AMONG CHINESE-AMERICANS IN LOS-ANGELES

Objective: The authors' goal was to estimate the lifetime and 12-month rates of major depressive episodes and dysthymia for Chinese American s who reside in Los Angeles. This effort, the Chinese American Psychia tric Epidemiological Study, is the first large-scale community psychia tric epidemiological study on an Asian American ethnic group that used DSM-III-R criteria for major depressive episodes and dysthymia. Metho d: A multi-stage sampling design was used to select respondents for pa rticipation in the survey. The sample included 1,747 adults, 18-65 yea rs of age, who resided in Los Angeles County and who spoke English, Ma ndarin, or Cantonese. Results: Approximately 6.9% of the respondents h ad experienced an episode of major depression and 5.2% had had dysthym ia in their lifetime. The 12-month rates of depressive episode and dys thymia were 3.4% and 0.9%, respectively. The most consistent correlate of lifetime and 12-month depressive episode and dysthymia was social stress, measured by past traumatic events and recent negative life eve nts. Conclusions: The Chinese American Psychiatric Epidemiological Stu dy provides a rare opportunity to investigate the heterogeneity within a single Asian American ethnic group, Chinese Americans, and to ident ify the subgroups among Chinese Americans who may be most at risk for mental health problems.