Abstract:
BACKGROUND : Depression is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease,
impacting social life, family life and occupational functioning if left untreated. Despite its high
prevalence and morbidity, the evidence suggests that men are hesitant to seek help, with a
large percentage remaining undiagnosed. This study aimed to determine the attitudes and
perceptions related to depression and its treatment amongst black men in a rural district of
South Africa.
METHODS : The design used was an exploratory descriptive qualitative design. Participants
were selected by purposive sampling. Individual semistructured interviews were conducted,
which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were subsequently analysed
thematically to develop themes and subthemes.
RESULTS : Participants described depression as a psychological problem associated with lack of
sleep, loneliness, feeling unwanted, increased stress, deep sadness, weight loss, forgetfulness,
crying over small things and lack of concentration. Collectively, the interviews with participants
showed a good understanding of the psychosocial determinants of depression but exposed a
lack of awareness of its biological determinants. A large proportion (n = 13; 68.4%) of
participants reported not having knowledge of available services in their area for people
seeking treatment for depression. Barriers to help-seeking behaviours were fear of social
stigma, fear of expressing their feelings, gender norms and stereotypes and lack of trust in
others.
CONCLUSION : Interventions such as support groups and mental health awareness programmes
to counteract personal perceptions may help to improve and expand the effectiveness of
depression treatment. The results highlight the future need to raise awareness of depressive symptoms and expand health outreach programmes.
