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Measuring patient distress in primary care
K R Seelert1, R D Hill, M A Rigdon
1Department of Educational Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA. krseelert@aol.com
Family Medicine
|July 30, 1999
Summary
The Outcome Questionnaire Short Form (OQ-10) effectively screens for psychological distress and well-being in primary care patients. This brief tool aids physicians in identifying and addressing mental health needs during routine visits.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Primary Care Medicine
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Primary care settings frequently encounter patients with undiagnosed mental health issues.
- Brief, reliable screening tools are essential for efficient patient assessment in primary care.
- The Outcome Questionnaire Short Form (OQ-10) is a newly developed instrument for mental health screening.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the psychometric properties of the OQ-10 for primary care use.
- To determine the OQ-10's utility in assessing patient psychological distress and well-being.
- To establish the OQ-10's reliability and validity in a primary care population.
Main Methods:
- The OQ-10 was administered to 292 outpatients in a family practice clinic.
- The Duke Health Profile (DUKE) was used as a standardized measure for comparison.
- Principal components analysis and sensitivity/specificity analyses were conducted on OQ-10 data.
Main Results:
- OQ-10 scores demonstrated correlations with all subscales of the DUKE.
- Factor analysis identified two key dimensions: psychological well-being and distress.
- Preliminary sensitivity and specificity analyses suggest the OQ-10's utility in gauging patient psychological state.
Conclusions:
- The OQ-10 serves as a valuable brief screening tool for psychological distress in primary care.
- The instrument effectively captures both distress and well-being, aiding clinical decision-making.
- The OQ-10 can assist primary care physicians in managing diverse psychological problems.