Immigration-Related Factors and Depression Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Older Chinese Americans

Abstract

Objectives: Asian Americans have the lowest mental health service utilization rate among all racial/ethnic groups. This study investigates how immigration-related factors shape the depression help-seeking behaviors of older Chinese Americans. Methods: Data were collected from participants who reported experiencing any depressive symptoms in the Population-based Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago (n = 907). Multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to examine the associations between immigration-related factors and help-seeking behaviors, including not seeking help (23.5%), seeking help from informal source(s) only (40%), seeking help from both informal and formal sources (28.7%), and seeking help from formal source(s) only (8.8%). Results: Older Chinese Americans with lower levels of acculturation (OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.79–0.97) and those who lived in Chinatown (OR = 2.34, 95% CI = 1.21–4.52) were more likely to seek help from formal sources only (relative to not seeking any help). Conclusions: Older Chinese Americans with depressive symptoms predominately relied on informal sources of help, either solely or in combination with formal sources, to address their depressive symptoms. Clinical Implications: Leveraging informal support networks and ethnicity-specific resources represents a promising approach for this population.