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unusual for it to be undertreated. But with most research on symptom variation having been conducted on white people, it makes it even more likely that depression will be missed among Black women and other people of color.

Black women are particularly at risk for major depressive disorder — or clinical depression — due to them bearing societal burdens of poverty, single parenthood, and racial and gender discrimination.

The researchers examined data from 227 Black women who were screened for depression as part of the Intergenerational Impact of Psychological and Genetic Factors on Blood Pressure (InterGen) study — a study that sought to understand the genetics, psychological, and environmental factors that contribute to high blood pressure in Black mothers and children.

While the study results could be considered groundbreaking due to the lack of representation of Black women in previous research, the researchers caution people from generalizing their findings to all Black women. This is due to the fact that the study participants were younger and had “relatively low levels of depression.”

Nonetheless, the results further the conversation about the need for inclusive screening tools that account for all types of depression symptoms, including somatic — relating to the body — and self-critical.

“My hope is that these findings contribute to the growing dialogue of how depression can look different from person to person, and raise awareness of the need for more research in historically understudied and minoritized populations so that we can better identify symptoms and reduce missed care and health disparities,” Perez said. For more information on free mental health services near you, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness at www.nami.org.