Depression Screening Is Not Enough

Editorials6 March 2001Depression Screening Is Not EnoughKurt Kroenke, MDKurt Kroenke, MDDr. Kroenke: Regenstrief Institute for Health Care; Indianapolis, IN 46202Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-134-5-200103060-00014 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Not enough" does not mean "not at all." The individual and societal burden of depression is enormous in terms of economic costs (over $40 billion annually in the United States alone); disability days; and pervasive effects on physical, mental, and social well-being (1-3). This burden, coupled with the eminent treatability of depression, compels us to action (4, 5). The first action must be recognition of the depressed patient, without which amelioration is impossible. The second action is treating the patient in whom depression has been identified. Although screening can enhance both recognition and initiation of treatment (6), improvement in depression ...References1. Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Linzer M, Hahn SR, Williams JB, deGruy FV, et al. . Health-related quality of life in primary care patients with mental disorders. Results from the PRIME-MD 1000 Study. JAMA. 1995;274:1511-7. [PMID: 0007474219] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Ormel J, VonKorff M, Ustun TB, Pini S, Korten A, Oldehinkel T. Common mental disorders and disability across cultures. Results from the WHO Collaborative Study on Psychological Problems in General Health Care. JAMA. 1994;272:1741-8. [PMID: 0007966922] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Greenberg PE, Stiglin LE, Finkelstein SN, Berndt ER. The economic burden of depression in 1990. J Clin Psychiatry. 1993;54:405-18. [PMID: 0008270583] MedlineGoogle Scholar4. Simon GE. Can depression be managed appropriately in primary care? J Clin Psychiatry. 1998;59 Suppl 2 3-8. [PMID: 0009559753] MedlineGoogle Scholar5. 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[PMID: 0010798451] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar18. Wells KB, Sturm R, Sherbourne CD, Meredith LS. Caring for Depression. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ Pr; 1996. Google Scholar19. Dietrich AJ. The telephone as a new weapon in the battle against depression. Eff Clin Pract. 2000;4:191-3. Google Scholar20. Keller MB, McCullough JP, Klein DN, Arnow B, Dunner DL, Gelenberg AJ, et al. . A comparison of nefazodone, the cognitive behavioral-analysis system of psychotherapy, and their combination for the treatment of chronic depression. N Engl J Med. 2000;342:1462-70. [PMID: 0010816183] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Dr. Kroenke: Regenstrief Institute for Health Care; Indianapolis, IN 46202Corresponding Author: Kurt Kroenke, MD, Regenstrief Institute for Health Care, RG-6, 1050 Wishard Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46202; e-mail, kkroe[email protected]org. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoThe Cost–Utility of Screening for Depression in Primary Care Marcia Valenstein , Sandeep Vijan , John E. Zeber , Kathryn Boehm , and Amna Buttar Should We Screen for Depression in Primary Care? 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