As part of a collaborative effort to increase Black participation in a genetic study of major depression, we initiated a series of studies to understand possible reasons for underrepresentation. The rationale for this overall effort is based on the observation that Blacks are underrepresented compared to whites, in recent molecular genetic studies of major depression (Levinson et al., 2007; Lotrich et al., 2003). Major depression is a widespread psychiatric disorder which, in the year 1990, was estimated to be the fourth leading worldwide cause of disability (Murray & Lopez, 1996). Depression is also shown to be genetically influenced (Sullivan, Neale, & Kendler, 2000), and by the year 2020, it is expected to be the second leading worldwide cause of disability, after ischemic heart disease (Murray & Lopez, 1996). The need for inclusion of participants of all racial and ethnic groups into research, so all can benefit, makes the examination of the barriers to recruitment of Blacks into psychiatric genetic research an important objective.
