Initiative for Decreasing Disparities in Depression--Core Curriculum

A goal of the Initiative for Decreasing Disparities in Depression (I3D) includes gathering and synthesizing information concerning current best practices in depression care, disparities in the diagnosis and treatment of depression, and transcultural issues in depression care. These topics are covered by this peer-reviewed slide presentation, which was created as an educational curriculum for clinicians who strive to provide quality care to all their patients, regardless of race, culture, or ethnicity.

This effort is undertaken to improve the quality of mental health care—specifically, the management of depressive disorders—that primary care clinicians provide to their patients. However, the information provided in this curriculum is also relevant for psychiatrists and other mental health professionals.

The core curriculum is presented in 4 modules, complete with speaker notes, on the topics listed below. Please use these resources for your own professional development and share them with your colleagues.

• Decreasing Disparities in Depression Care: A Core Curriculum for Change is a general introduction to depressive disorders that reviews epidemiology, impact on quality of life, comorbid disease states, and the burden of disease.



( 837 KB/ 27 Slides )

( 1090 KB/ 27 pages )

• Current Practices in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression: Best Practices in Primary Care reviews aspects of depression care, including screening, diagnosis, and treatment guidelines. Also discussed are clinical barriers to care (eg, guideline adherence, agreement between diagnostic criteria), as well as quality standards that primary care physicians should strive for in managing their patients with depressive disorders.



( 837 KB/ 27 Slides )

( 1090 KB/ 27 pages )

• Disparities in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression addresses gaps in depression care and focuses specifically on improving care for ethnic and racial minorities. Discrepancies in the quality of, and access to, mental health care are discussed here, with specific concentration on their impact on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. This module reviews the actual—versus recommended—quality of screening, diagnosis, and treatment for depressive disorders that is received by members of these groups.



( 837 KB/ 27 Slides )

( 1090 KB/ 27 pages )

• Transcultural Issues in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression highlights cultural factors in diagnosis and treatment of depression, including the importance of ethnopsychopharmacology, cultural competence, and cultural humility. It also reviews the principles of transcultural psychiatry, which encompass similarities among all racial and cultural groups and provide a basis for individualized care.



( 837 KB/ 27 Slides )

( 1090 KB/ 27 pages )

Additional Resources

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Editorial Board

Anthony Dekker, DO, Associate Director, Phoenix Indian Medical Center

Robert C. Like, MD, MS, Professor and Director, Center for Healthy Families and Cultural Diversity, Department of Family Medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

William Vega, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Director, Division of Research, Behavioral Research and Training Institute, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Albert Yeung, MD, Director of Primary Care Research at the Depression and Clinical Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital

Thanks to Elizabeth V. Albert, MD, Associate Medical Director, Indicia Medical Education, LLC, for her assistance with the development of this curriculum.