October 1, 1999

Short versions of the geriatric depression scale: a study of their validity for the diagnosis of a major depressive episode according to ICD-10 and DSM-IV

Structured PICO

Are short versions of the Geriatric Depression Scale valid for diagnosing major depressive episodes in the elderly compared to ICD-10 and DSM-IV criteria?

Population

Elderly individuals being screened for major depressive episode

Intervention

Short versions of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15, GDS-10, GDS-4, and one-item version)

Comparator

ICD-10 and DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for major depressive episode

Outcome

Validity for the diagnosis of a major depressive episodepatient reported

The GDS-15 and GDS-10 are valid screening tools for major depression in the elderly, whereas ultra-short versions lack reliability and clinical utility.

Abstract

GDS-15, GDS-10 and GDS-4 are good screening instruments for major depression as defined by both the ICD-10 and DSM-IV. The shorter four- and one-item versions are of limited clinical value due to low reliability and failure to monitor the severity of the depressive episode. General practitioners may benefit from the systematic use of short GDS versions to increase detection rates of depression among the elderly. (c) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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