Depressed Parents' Treatment Needs and Children's Problems in an Urban Family Medicine Practice

Objective:

The study examined interest in treatment and treatment preferences and obstacles of low-income depressed parents.

Methods:

A total of 273 primarily low-income, Hispanic parents of children aged seven to 17 attending an urban family medicine practice agreed to complete a survey by interview or self-report, including screening diagnoses and treatment history. Three groups were compared: major, subthreshold, and no depression.

Results:

Nearly one-third had major (9%) or subthreshold depression (23%), and many in the depressed groups reported recent treatment (50% and 31%, respectively). Parents with any depression were significantly more likely than nondepressed parents to report interest in receiving help, endorse treatment obstacles, and report children's problems.

Conclusions:

High rates of personal and child problems, interest in treatment, and treatment obstacles among low-income, depressed parents highlight the need to develop acceptable mental health services for them and their children, even when parents do not meet full diagnostic criteria for depression. (Psychiatric Services 62:317–321, 2011)