Susan Regan
Tanzania
Research Article
Using the Electronic Medical Record to Examine Racial and Ethnic Differences in Depression Diagnosis and Treatment in a Primary Care Population
Author(s): Nhi-Ha T. Trinh, Rachel LaRocca, Susan Regan, Trina E. Chang, Stephen E. Gilman ScD, Maurizio Fava and Albert YeungNhi-Ha T. Trinh, Rachel LaRocca, Susan Regan, Trina E. Chang, Stephen E. Gilman ScD, Maurizio Fava and Albert Yeung
Objective: We assessed racial and ethnic differences in depression diagnosis and treatment in a primary care population. Methods: A sample of primary care outpatients in 2007 was generated using the electronic medical record (EMR). Patients were considered depressed if their providers billed for depression-related codes; they were considered prescribed antidepressants if any antidepressants were on their medication list. Rates of diagnosis and medication prescription were estimated using a generalized linear model with a Poisson distribution, adjusting for covariates. Results: In the resulting sample (n=85,790), all minority groups were less likely to be diagnosed with depression as compared to Whites (p<0.05); 11.36% of Whites had a depression diagnosis, as compared to 6.44% of Asian Americans, 7.55% of African Americans, and 10.18% of Latino Americans. Among those with a depressi.. View More»
