SCREENING, DETECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF DEPRESSION IN ELDERLY PRIMARY-CARE ATTENDERS .1. THE ACCEPTABILITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE 15-ITEM GERIATRIC DEPRESSION SCALE (GDS15) AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHORT VERSIONS

One-hundred and ninety-eight elderly subjects attending their general practitioners (GPs) were asked to complete the 15 item Geriatric Depre ssion Scale (GDS15). Analysable results were obtained from 194 (98%). Of these, 67 (34%) scored above the GDS15 cut-off (4/5) for significan t depressive symptomatology. 87.6% found the questionnaire to be accep table and only 3.6% found it very difficult or very stressful. The GDS 15 had a high level of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.80). All the individual items of the GDS15 associated significantly (P < 0 .01) with total score and 'caseness: A single question ''do you feel t hat your life is empty?'' identified 84% of 'cases'. In an attempt to devise short scales to screen elderly primary care patients for depres sion, the data were subjected to logistic regression analysis. Ten (GD S10), four (GDS4) and one (GDS1) item versions were generated. Agreeme nt between these short scales and the GDS15 in the original sample was 95, 91 and 79% respectively. Cronbach's alpha was 0.72 for the GDS10 and 0.55 for the GDS4. The short scales were then validated in an inde pendent sample of 120 patients in whom both GDS data and the results o f a detailed psychiatric interview (the Geriatric Mental Status Schedu le, GMS) were available. The sensitivity and specificity of the GDS10 against GMS caseness were 87 and 77% (cut-off 3/4); those of the GDS4 were 89 and 65% (cut-off 0/1) and 61 and 81% (cut-off 1/2). Sensitivit y and specificity for the GDS1 were 59 and 75%. It is concluded that t hese short scales may be useful in helping GPs and practice staff to i dentify elderly patients with significant depressive symptoms.