EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY-BASED SCREENING FOR DEPRESSION

Objective: The effectiveness of a voluntary depression screening progr am was assessed by determining 1) whether participants in the 1994 Nat ional Depression Screening Day went for recommended follow-up examinat ions and 2) the characteristics that differentiated those who did and did not return. Method: Randomly selected participants (N=1,169) from 99 facilities completed a follow-up telephone survey. Results: Of 805 people for whom follow-up was recommended, 56.5% (N=455) went for an a ppointment. The severity of depressive symptoms Irt these subjects ran ged from severe (33.4%, N=152) and marked (41.3%, N=188) to minimal (1 7.1%, N=78) and nor mal (8.1%, N=37). Subjects with marked or severe d epression were move likely to respond to the screening recommendation that were those with minimal depressive symptoms. However, at each lev el of symptom severity, subjects who had received previous treatment w ere more likely to adhere to the screening recommendation that? were t hose with no previous treatment. Of those who returned for a recommend ed follow-up, 72.1% were diagnosed with depression. Of those who did n ot return, 29.5% cited lack of insurance, underinsurance, or inadequat e finances, and 38.0% felt they could ''handle'' depression on their o wn. Conclusions: Voluntary screening for depression is an effective wa y to bring cel tain untreated depressed individuals to treatment. Inad equate insurance and the belief that individuals can manage depression on their own continue to be barriers to seeking treatment among some depressed individuals who attend a depression screening program.