Screening for Depression with the Depression in Old Age Scale (DIA-S) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS15)

Purpose of the study. The Depression in Old Age Scale (DIA-S), a new screening tool for geriatric depression, was designed to be both practical and appropriate for use with medically ill geriatric patients. The diagnostic accuracy of the DIA-S and the short form of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS15) were tested and compared. Methods. Using the Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) as gold standard, the scales were validated with a sample of N = 331 geriatric inpatients. Results. ROC curves, AUC outcomes, sensitivity and specificity, and logistic regression models for impact factors on misclassification rates indicate good psychometrical qualities of the DIA-S, whereas the validity of the GDS15 was lower.