Depression among low-income women of color: Qualitative findings from cross-cultural focus groups

This article describes the experiences with depression of women with young children living in ethnically and culturally diverse, low-income communities. A qualitative ethnographic design using a focus group process was implemented in 15 communities. Despite great diversity in ethnic and cultural backgrounds, these women of color reported similar experiences with depression and described: a range of social risk factors, including domestic violence, isolation, language barriers, and difficulties with schools and other public systems; lack of access to high quality, culturally competent health and mental health services; reliance primarily on informal systems of care - relatives, friends, peers - in dealing with their depression, although many also reported good relationships with primary care practitioners. They identified: the specialty mental health sector as one to which they seldom turned for assistance, citing stigma, lack of insurance coverage, cultural beliefs, and attitudes of providers as barriers; a number of strategies for outreach and engagement with mental health providers; qualitative measures of maternal depression among women with young children; and, strategies for reaching and engaging culturally diverse mothers.