Help-seeking experiences of older adults with a diagnosis of moderate depression.
Meg Polacsek, Gayelene H Boardman, Terence V McCann
PMID 30120874WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults with depression delayed seeking help due to stigma, ageism, and cost, often feeling their symptoms were dismissed as normal aging.
They facilitated their own care by actively researching options, demanding a respectful partnership with clinicians, and relying on family support.
Key findings
01Participants frequently experienced ageism from health professionals, who attributed symptoms to normal aging or treated them patronizingly, delaying diagnosis.
02Stigma, both public and internalized, caused reluctance to disclose symptoms or initiate treatment, with some viewing medication as a personal failure.
03None of the participants had received formal support from mental health nurses, and there was little awareness of how to access them.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was well-educated and already engaged in formal help-seeking, so findings may not apply to those who have not yet sought help or who have lower education levels. Participants were required to communicate in conversational English, limiting generalizability to non-English speakers. As an exploratory qualitative study, the themes are not generalizable to the wider population of older adults with depression.
Declared interests
The text does not explicitly state funding sources or conflicts of interest for this specific nested study, though it mentions ethical approval from Victoria University.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these findings apply to older adults who have not yet sought professional help. The sample consisted of individuals already engaged in treatment, who had overcome significant barriers to access care, potentially skewing the reported facilitators and barriers compared to those who remain untreated.