TY - JOUR
T1 - Community agency directors’ attitudes on depression treatment among older Korean Americans and barriers to providing services
AU - Kim, Eunhye
AU - Washington, Tiffany R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Objectives: The purpose of this study is to explore Korean agency directors’ attitudes about depression treatment and their current efforts and barriers to providing services for older Korean Americans. Methods: Interviews were conducted with 11 agency directors, providing services from ethnic community centers and health care agencies. A constant comparative approach was applied to detect emerging themes. Results: Findings revealed that the agency directors had a negative attitude about using antidepressants and counseling. Based on these beliefs, they were less likely to recommend individuals with depression to use medical treatment or counseling; instead, they recommended informal ways of treating depression, including reliance on peers, family, and religious activities. A lack of educational training, funding, collaboration, and Korean-speaking professionals were perceived to be barriers to providing services. Discussion: Findings indicate the importance of educational training to increase understanding of depression treatment and to support the agency directors in offering services for older Korean Americans.
AB - Objectives: The purpose of this study is to explore Korean agency directors’ attitudes about depression treatment and their current efforts and barriers to providing services for older Korean Americans. Methods: Interviews were conducted with 11 agency directors, providing services from ethnic community centers and health care agencies. A constant comparative approach was applied to detect emerging themes. Results: Findings revealed that the agency directors had a negative attitude about using antidepressants and counseling. Based on these beliefs, they were less likely to recommend individuals with depression to use medical treatment or counseling; instead, they recommended informal ways of treating depression, including reliance on peers, family, and religious activities. A lack of educational training, funding, collaboration, and Korean-speaking professionals were perceived to be barriers to providing services. Discussion: Findings indicate the importance of educational training to increase understanding of depression treatment and to support the agency directors in offering services for older Korean Americans.
KW - Agency directors
KW - depression
KW - mental health service use
KW - older Korean Americans
KW - treatment
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U2 - 10.1080/13607863.2021.1897522
DO - 10.1080/13607863.2021.1897522
M3 - Article
C2 - 33724112
AN - SCOPUS:85102843024
SN - 1360-7863
VL - 26
SP - 1053
EP - 1060
JO - Aging and Mental Health
JF - Aging and Mental Health
IS - 5
ER -