Depression among African Americans, Latinos, and Caucasians with spinal cord injury: An exploratory study

Objective: To explore the relationship between depression and racial-ethnic group membership among people with spinal cord injury (SCI). No literature exists on this topic, and research on related areas reveals variable findings with regard to ethnic-racial differences in depression. Study Design: During their annual physical exams at an SCI clinic in Southern California, 171 participants with SCI completed the Older Adult Health and Mood Questionnaire, a clinically validated measure of depressive symptomatology. Participants: Forty-six Caucasians, 28 African Americans, and 97 Latinos over 21 years of age with either tetraplegia or paraplegia. Main Outcome Measures: Depression scores, diagnoses, and item clusters. Results: Overall, 42% of the participants reported clinically significant symptomatology; 18% reported possible major depression. Latino participants reported higher overall depression scores than either African American or Caucasian participants, who did not differ from each other. Latinos also had a greater prevalence of possible major depression, along with higher item clusters reflecting loss of pleasure and greater feelings of hopelessness and fatigue. Conclusions: These findings suggest a need for routine screening for depression after SCI, particularly among individuals from Latino backgrounds.