Key result
Self-rating scales for depression can achieve satisfactory screening in medically ill patients, though their clinical value remains limited by the absence of clear treatment guidelines.
Why the study?
Are paper and pencil screening tests for depression effective and clinically useful in medically ill patients?
Are paper and pencil screening tests for depression effective and clinically useful in medically ill patients?
While self-rating scales can effectively screen for depression in the medically ill, their clinical utility requires treatment validation of case criteria.
May warrant cautious screening use in medically ill patients; leaves open impact of treatment guideline validation on clinical adoption.
Paper and pencil screening tests for depression have never become widely used in the medically ill, despite consensus that a sizeable pool of depression exists in this population. The performance of several self-rating scales in these patients is reviewed, demonstrating that satisfactory screening of depression as defined by standard case criteria can be achieved. It is proposed that it is primarily the absence of clear guidelines for treatment to be used in conjunction with these scales which will make clinicians sceptical of their value. Treatment validation of case criteria is required to demonstrate that screening for depression in medical patients is worthwhile.
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Chris Meakin (1992) conducted a review in Depression in the medically ill. Self-rating scales for depression was evaluated. Self-rating scales for depression can achieve satisfactory screening in medically ill patients, though their clinical value remains limited by the absence of clear treatment guidelines.
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