Culturally-focused Consultation for Asian Americans and Latino Americans
Culturally-focused Consultation for Asian Americans and Latino Americans
The purpose of this study is to determine if a culturally focused psychiatric (CFP)
 consultation service can improve depressive symptoms and increase diagnosis and treatment of
 depression in Asian American and Latino American primary care patients at the Massachusetts
 General Hospital.
This study's aim is to determine if a culturally focused mental health consultation will help
 Latino and Asian Americans who are experiencing sadness, stress, or other symptoms of
 depression. Eligible adults must already have a primary care physician at Massachusetts
 General Hospital.

 In this study, patients will be randomly assigned, like the flip of a coin, to receive the
 culturally focused intervention or treatment as usual. Those who receive the intervention
 will have three sessions with study personnel, during which they will generally discuss and
 learn techniques for dealing with their mental health. Those who receive treatment as usual,
 meaning the regular care they receive through their primary care practice, will have two
 sessions with study personnel during which they will generally discuss their mental health.
 All study visits and patient materials are provided in patients' language of choice -
 English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, or Vietnamese. All patients will be compensated for
 completing study visits.

 About half of the study patients in both arms will also be invited to participate in optional
 qualitative interviews, in which they will be asked questions about their expectations for
 the research study and their ideas for improving culturally sensitive mental health services.
 In addition, a small sample of Asian American patients who did not participate in the study
 but who have PCPs at the sites where the study was conducted will be contacted for a
 qualitative interview. This interview will address reasons why Asian American recruitment for
 the study was so challenging.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Capable of giving informed consent

 -  Adults 18 years of age or older

 -  Members of either Asian American or Latino American minority groups

 -  Currently experiencing depressive symptoms

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Active unstable, untreated psychiatric illness precluding participation in study