Research Shows the Majority of Latinos Fail to
Recognize the Symptoms of Depression
BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Institute of Mental
Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health, today is launching a
new effort in the Real Men Real Depression campaign -- Spanish-language
materials to inform the Latino community about depression and to encourage men
who are depressed to seek help.
In the U.S., Latinos are the largest ethnic minority -- a population of
over 40 million. Of this group, 40 percent reported that Spanish is their
preferred language, according to a report by the Surgeon General. The new
Real Men Real Depression materials were created to help Spanish-speaking
people across the country and from all over the world to understand more about
depression, a serious illness. As the nation's primary mental health research
agency, NIMH is dedicated to reducing the burden of mental and behavioral
disorders through research on mind, brain, and behavior. As part of that
mission, NIMH provides mental health information to the public and, in
particular, focuses on reducing disparities in health care.
"Depression and other mood disorders cross all national, cultural, ethnic,
and gender boundaries. NIMH developed Real Men Real Depression to inform the
nation that depression can strike men just as it can strike women. Lack of
awareness about depression is a serious concern in the Latino community.
Through these new materials we hope to teach Latino men that depression is a
medical condition that affects both the mind and the body, but there is hope,"
said Thomas R. Insel, M.D., director, NIMH. "Effective treatments are
available and the success rate is very high for people who seek help and
remain in treatment."
According to the National Latino and Asian American study, 54 percent of
Latino men with at least one episode of major depression in their lifetime do
not recognize having a mental health problem. Latinos also report reluctance
to getting treatment for depression. And, like U.S.-born white males, Latino
men are afraid that seeking treatment will endanger their jobs. However,
there is no evidence to show that people do lose their jobs once they go into
treatment. In fact, treatment may be essential to improve work performance.
"Research and clinical findings reveal that women and men may talk
differently -- or in the case of men, not talk -- about the symptoms of
depression," said Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola M.D., Ph.D., Visiting Professor of
Clinical Internal Medicine and Director of the Center for Reducing Health
Disparities, University of California, Davis, and member of the National
Advisory Mental Health Council. "Traditional gender roles in the Latino
community may further contribute to an unwillingness to talk about feelings of
depression."
The new materials include publications and broadcast and print public
service announcements (PSAs) in English and Spanish. The PSAs feature Rodolfo
Palma-Lulion, a recent college graduate who shared his experience with
depression in the hopes of encouraging other Latino men to talk about their
depression and seek treatment.
"It took me years to understand that what I was experiencing was
depression. Getting help made such an improvement in my life," said Palma-
Lulion. "I hope the Real Men Real Depression campaign will help other Latino
men recognize depression in themselves and have the courage to ask for help."
Men with depression, regardless of ethnic background, may be more likely
to turn to alcohol or drugs, or to become frustrated, angry or irritable
instead of acknowledging their feelings and asking for help. Some men may
throw themselves compulsively into their work or hobbies, attempting to hide
their depression from themselves, family, and friends; other men may respond
to depression by engaging in reckless behavior.
Real Men Real Depression was launched in April of 2003. It is the first
national public education effort to raise awareness that depression is a major
public health problem affecting an estimated six million men annually. The
primary message of the campaign's PSAs is that it takes courage to ask for
help. Real Men Real Depression materials feature personal stories of real men
from varied backgrounds. The campaign spokesmen are Latino, African American,
Asian, and American Indian and include such professions as a firefighter, a
national diving champion, a retired Air Force sergeant, a lawyer, and a
writer.
Use this link (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/rmrd_psas.cfm) to
see the public service announcements and health information materials in
Spanish.
To learn more, individuals and organizations are encouraged to call the
campaign's toll-free number at 1-866-227-6464, which is staffed with bilingual
information specialists, and access the NIMH Web sites at
http://www.nimh.nih.gov and http://www.menanddepression.nimh.nih.gov, where
Spanish materials are also available.
NIMH is one of the 27 components that make up NIH, the Federal
Government's primary agency for biomedical and behavioral research. NIH is
part of the Department of Health and Human Services.
SOURCE National Institute of Mental Health
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Related links:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov
http://www.menanddepression.nimh.nih.gov
CONTACT:
Jennifer Loukissas of the National Institute
of Mental Health Press Office, +1-301-443-4536,
nimhpress@nih.gov; or Jessica Joisten, +1-301-272-2430,
jjoisten@equals3.com, for the National Institute of Mental Health
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