Psychiatric symptom presentation in ethnically diverse cardiology patients

The purpose of our study was to examine rates of depression and distress among different ethnic groups receiving care in an outpatient cardiology clinic.

Cross sectional study.

Participants were recruited from an urban cardiology clinic.

Data are presented for 1003 patients screened between June 2005 and November 2007. The ethnic groups represented were Hispanics (504 patients or 50% of the sample), Southeast Asians (229 patients or 23%), Caucasians (114 patients or 11%), East Asians (89 patients or 9%), Africans (53 patients or 5%), and 14 patients (2%) of unknown or other ethic backgrounds.

All patients registered for an outpatient visit received questionnaires, in English or Spanish, screening for depression (Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9]) and distress (the impact of Events Scale [IES]).

Overall, significantly more patients screened positive for distress than depression (33% vs 27%, X2 = 130.11, P = .00). The ANOVA comparing PHQ scores by ethnic group was significant, F(4, 867) = 4.46, P = .01 with Hispanics and Southeast Asians scoring significantly higher than East Asians. An ANOVA comparing IES scores by ethnic group was also significant, F (4, 760) = 3.63, P = .01.with Southeast Asians scoring significantly higher than Caucasians.

Elevated levels of psychiatric symptoms are common across ethnic groups in medical settings, particularly in patients of Hispanic and Southeast Asian origin. Devising culturally sensitive procedures is imperative to successful screening and evaluation.