• Change in depression severity, as measured by the Depression Scale of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) [ Time Frame: Week 1 (pre-test) and week 6 (post-test) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

• Frequency of exercise using the International Physical Activity questionnaire(IPAQ). [ Time Frame: Week 1 and Week 6 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Attitudes about exercise, exercise self-efficacy and readiness to exercise using physical activity assessment scale (PAAS). [ Time Frame: Week 1 and Week 6 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Use of guideline-concordant depression therapies [ Time Frame: week 1 and week 6 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Acceptability of antidepressant therapy and counseling [ Time Frame: week 1 and week 6 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Depression self-care behaviors [ Time Frame: week 1 and week 6 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Satisfaction with program [ Time Frame: week 6 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Attendance to sessions [ Time Frame: Each week for 6 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Depression care self-efficacy [ Time Frame: week 1 and week 6 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

Several studies have documented the effectiveness of exercise as a treatment for depression. However, these studies have used supervised exercise in medical school or university environments and have included mostly middle-class White populations. Little is known regarding how to translate these findings to real world settings or to minority populations. Exercise may be a particularly beneficial option for African-Americans suffering from depression. African-Americans face significant disparities in depression care. At least a part of these disparities are due to lack of trust in the healthcare system and negative attitudes toward antidepressants. Our goal is to pilot-test a culturally-tailored, community-based exercise support program for depressed African-Americans. We will recruit participants who screened positive for moderate depressive symptoms when they enrolled in the African-American Health Coalition's Free Exercise Card Program, but who are exercising less than 3 times per week. They will participate in a 6-week educational self-care group focusing on how to use exercise and other self-help tools to reduce depressive symptoms. Participants will be encouraged to create action plans regarding exercise and other healthy lifestyle changes. Groups will also provide culturally-tailored information about depression therapies, such as antidepressants and psychotherapy, and discuss strategies for obtaining quality health care.