Present methods for treating depression don't help poor and workingclass people

GHN News - Do depression treatments help poor and working-class people?  New research indicates they don't.

Depression

is a difficult mental health condition, difficult to treat and that
costs millions of dollars in lost work time and problems for everyday
functioning for many people.

The
present forms of treatment, however, don't reach the poor and working
class significantly, according to new University of Illinois research.
They don't improve the ability of these folks to function at work,
according to Lydia Falconnier, assistant professor in UIC's Jane Addams
College of Social Work in a study of 239 patients over a period of four
years.

 The
data used for the study came from the National Institute of Mental
Health Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program from 1982
to 1986. Participants included 239 patients with major depressive
disorder.

Researchers
looked at the typical treatment for depression including two different
kinds of psychotherapy: interpersonal psychotherapy or
cognitive-behavioral therapy.

The study is said to be significant in the future treatment of depression, especially of working mothers.

"This
is particularly important since a lot of research shows negative
outcomes for children of depressed mothers," said Falconnier, the
study's principal investigator.

"This
also raises questions about mandated depression treatment for
working-class and poor mothers who are involved in the child welfare
system."

Future
research will be needed to discover what needs to change in depression
treatment so that working class and poor patients can benefit from it as
much as middle-class patients, Falconnier said.

"One
route to improved outcomes might be to adapt current therapies to
include a greater focus on the daily work and economic stressors that

low-income individuals face," she said.