OBJECTIVE Rural African Americans are disproportionately impacted by social stressors that place them at risk of developing psychiatric disorders. This study aims to understand mental health from the perspective of rural African American residents and other stakeholders in order to devise culturally acceptable treatment approaches. METHODS Seven focus groups (N=50) were conducted with four stakeholder groups. A semi-structured interview guide was used to elicit perspectives of mental health, mental health treatment, and ways to improve mental health within rural African American communities. Inductive analysis was used to identify emergent themes and develop a conceptual model grounded in the textual data. RESULTS Stressful living environments (e.g. impoverished communities) and broader community held beliefs (e.g. religious beliefs and mental health stigma) impacted not only perceptions of mental health but also contributed to barriers that impede mental health seeking. Participants also identified community level strategies that can be utilized to improve emotional wellness in rural African American communities. CONCLUSION Rural African Americans experience several barriers that impede treatment use. Strategies that include conceptualizing mental illness as a normal reaction to stressful living environments, the use of community-based mental health services, and providing mental health education to the general public may improve use of services in this population.

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Depression is projected to become the leading cause of disability and the second leading contributor to the global burden of disease in approximately 10 years. Few studies have explored the signs and symptoms of depression experienced by older African American men. Therefore, a pilot study was developed with the goal of addressing this gap in knowledge. Despite a variety of recruitment strategies, the study yielded no participants after nine months of effort. Lessons learned from the recruitment efforts and other researchers’ successful techniques and strategies are discussed.

Engaging communities to build each other's research capacity is a potentially valuable strategy.

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