Cultural Issues in the Management of Depression Among Chinese Americans

Culture affects the concept of mood disorders and how anxiety and depres-sion are expressed. To adequately rec-ognize depression in diverse popula-tions and provide culturally sensitive treatment, it is necessary to under-stand patients' illness beliefs, which comprise their understanding of the onset of illness, its cause, severity, im-pact, and appropriate treatment. Clini-cians who understand a patient's ill-ness beliefs are able to discuss medical management in a way the patient can comprehend. This article discusses ill-ness beliefs of Chinese Americans with depression and the current treatment gap, a systematic approach to improve recognition and treatment engage-ment, and considerations and adapta-tions needed when providing psycho-logical and pharmacological treatment to these patients. [Psychiatr Ann. 2023;53(3):111-116.]