Impact of Staff Education on Attitudes about Depression Screening Among the Latino Population in a Community Free Clinic

Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in the United States with a disease burden that is associated with numerous adverse outcomes. Among the nation’s Latino population, the prevalence of MDD has significantly increased, placing them at greater risk of developing more severe forms of mental health disorders. Despite national recommendations for depression screening, inconsistent screening practices were identified in a community free clinic in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. An educational webinar was developed with the primary aim of examining its impact on staff attitudes towards depression and screening among the clinic’s Latino patient population. The secondary aim analyzed demographic data to determine similarities or differences in the outcomes. A total of nine staff (N = 9) participated in the program which included a pre-recorded, 15-minute PowerPoint presentation delivered via Qualtrics XM online survey platform utilizing a prospective, pre- and post-test design. Educational content focused on the significance of depression, depression screening, and cultural perceptions of mental health within the Latino population. Outcomes were measured by the 22-item Revised-Depression Attitudes Questionnaire (R-DAQ) tool, which includes three domains: professional confidence, therapeutic optimism, and generalist perspective. Results showed the intervention did not have a statistically significant outcome on overall R-DAQ scores but did reveal a medium effect size (d = 0.35). Professional confidence demonstrated a statistically significant increase (p = .033) in mean scores between pre- and post-test and a large effect size (d = 0.71). Therapeutic optimism did not establish statistical significance but generated a small effect size (d = 0.19). Generalist perspective demonstrated a medium effect size (d = 0.31) without statistical significance. Overall, the educational webinar improved professional confidence among clinic staff. The results demonstrate the potential for an educational webinar to increase staff confidence, comfort, and preparation for the care of individuals with depression. This positive shift in attitude may motivate clinic staff to increase screening efforts, and improve depression recognition and management across the Latino population it primarily serves.