The increasing numbers of Asian and other immigrants in the United States have resulted in greater demands for research methodology sensitive to cross-cultural issues. A regional probability sample (n = 407) of Asian elderly immigrants of different nationalities (Chinese, Korean, Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, or Japanese) residing in New York City was used to examine the reliability of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Using the 30-item GDS, about 40% of this representative sample of Asian elderly immigrants was considered to be depressed, indicating higher depression rates than in the previous studies of other Asian elderly samples in the US and in Asia. Results also showed that the 30-item GDS and 15-item GDS Short Forms were reliable measures to assess depression in community-dwelling Asian immigrant elders. Data strongly suggest that Asian elderly immigrants in the US are at risk of depression, indicating a need for the design of culturally sensitive mental health programs.

Depression GDS Short Form Asian American elders GDS Long Form Reliability

urban population immigrant depression Asian mental health service mass screening multiple regression human controlled study health status Aged Depressive Disorder Health Surveys Geriatric Depression Scale Cross-Sectional Studies United States quality of life Humans life satisfaction chi square distribution Asian Americans male Asian American female Aged, 80 and over Personality Inventory reliability Reproducibility of Results cultural factor Psychometrics psychologic test Article health care utilization major clinical study Emigration and Immigration