Hispanic Immigrants' Intentions to Seek Depression Care

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Little is known about the cultural and cognitive processes that influence Hispanic immigrants' decisions to seek mental health care. This dissertation will address this gap in the literature by studying how three cognitive processes -- illness perceptions, attitudes toward depression treatments, and subjective norms -- influence Hispanic immigrants' intentions to seek professional care. A conceptual model based on the theory of reasoned action and the self-regulatory model of illness cognitions will be used to address the following aims: (1) to describe patients' illness perceptions of depression, attitudes toward depression treatments and subjective norms; (2) to examine how psychosocial correlates of service use influence patients' illness perceptions of depression, attitudes toward depression treatment, and subjective norms; and (3) to examine how patients' illness perceptions of depression, attitudes toward depression treatments, and subjective norms influence their intentions to seek professional depression treatments after adjusting for psychosocial correlates of service use. Hispanic immigrant adults (N=130) attending a primary health care clinic will be presented a standardized vignette depicting an individual with major depression. Through structured interviews, patients will be queried about their perceptions of depression, attitudes toward depression treatments, subjective norms, and their intentions to seek depression care if confronted with the scenario presented in the vignette. Analyses will be conducted to examine the relationships between psychosocial correlates of service use and the three cognitive processes of interest and how these processes influence intentions to seek depression care. Results of this study can add to our understanding of perceptions, attitudes and conceptions that Hispanic immigrant patients may have about depressive symptoms and its treatment, thereby enabling clinicians to engage Hispanic clients and provide better patient-centered care. Findings can also inform the development of public health education campaigns. This dissertation addresses an underdeveloped area of study which has the potential to inform the development of better depression care among Hispanic immigrants.