The National Institute of Mental Health has awarded Kathleen Ell, D.S.W, $2.95 million to research the treatment of major depression among Hispanic patients with diabetes, which comes on the heels of a similar grant for $2.6 million from the National Cancer Institute to examine depression among Hispanic patients with cancer.

The proposed study will test the efficacy of a culturally tailored intervention model that aims to reduce barriers and improve access to antidepressant medication or psychotherapy to treat depression among a low-income, predominantly Hispanic target population. Dr. Ell, the Ernest P. Larson Professor of Poverty, Ethnicity and Health at the USC School of Social Work, will serve as the primary investigator on a four-year randomized clinical trial that will assign 350 patients from the Roybal and El Monte Comprehensive Health Clinics to either enhanced usual care or the intervention.

\"Research over the past 20 years has demonstrated low-income ethnic populations make health care decisions about whether to follow medical advice based on individual cognitive resources and barriers in conjunction with environmental supports and barriers,\" Dr. Ell said. \"It follows that personal, social-environmental, cultural, economic factors and health system navigation are key elements in influencing how these patients will manage their depression and diabetes care.\"

Among Dr. Ell\'s other research interests are the medical adherence to cancer diagnostic follow-up and treatment among low-income, ethnic minority women; health disparities and cultural competence in health care delivery.

The USC-based interdisciplinary study team also includes Brenda Quon, M.D., a psychiatrist; Ruchi Mathur, M.D., an endocrinologist; Kathleen Sanchez, Ph.D., an assistant research professor in social work; Joel Hay, M.D., a health economist; David Quinn, M.D., a medical oncologist; and Maria Aranda, Ph.D., an expert on mental health and caregiver issues.