Reliability of the Geriatric Depression Scale for Use Among Elderly Asian Immigrants in the USA

Abstract

The increasing numbers of Asian and other immigrants in the United States have resulted in greater demands for research methodology sensitive to crosscultural issues. A regional probability sample (n = 407) of Asian elderly immigrants of different nationalities (Chinese, Korean, Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, or Japanese) residing in New York City was used to examine the reliability of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Using the 30-item GDS, about 40% of this representative sample of Asian elderly immigrants was considered to be depressed, indicating higher depression rates than in the previous studies of other Asian elderly samples in the US and in Asia. Results also showed that the 30-item GDS and 15-item GDS Short Forms were reliable measures to assess depression in communitydwelling Asian immigrant elders. Data strongly suggest that Asian elderly immigrants in the US are at risk of depression, indicating a need for the design of culturally sensitive mental health programs.The United States is facing two dramatic demographic changes: the aging and the increasing ethnic and racial diversification of its population. The population segment that is age 65 and over (35.0 million) now constitutes about 12.4% of the total US. population (Hetzel & Smith, 2001). It is expected to remain near its current level over the next 10 years. Between 2010 and 2030, the baby boomers will join this older population, and by 2030, about 20% of the total population (69.4 million) is projected to be over 65. The non-Hispanic, White share of the population is projected to fall steadily from 74% in 1995 to 72% in 2000, to 64% in 2020, and to 53% in 2050. By the middle of the 21st century the Black population is expected to nearly double its 1995 size to 61 million. The racial/ethnic groups with the highest rates of increase, however,

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“…This instrument has been widely used and is highly regarded as a culturally sensitive measure of this complex mental health outcome [36][37][38]. Each item was coded as 0 = have no symptoms and 1 = have symptoms.…”

Predictors of Depression in Aging South Asian Canadians

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Religious/Spiritual and Other Adaptive Coping Strategies Among Chinese American Older Immigrants

“…In previous cross-cultural studies of Asian American elderly immigrants, high prevalence rates of depression were reported, compared to their nonAsian or native-born peers (Lam, Pacala, & Smith, 1997;Mui, Kang, Chen, & Domanski, 2003). In these studies, life satisfaction, social support, health Downloaded by [Lakehead University] at 13:30 08 December 2014 status, functional status, number of years present in the United States, level of acculturation, and command of the English language were all found to be inversely related to depressive symptoms.…”