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Measurement of depression in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Kurt B Stage1, Thomas Middelboe, Charlotta Pisinger

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Odense University Hospital, Denmark. kurtstage@yahoo.com

Insights

The six-item Hamilton Depression subscale (HDSS) is a valid tool for assessing depression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. This finding supports its use in clinical practice for this population.

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonary Medicine
  • Psychiatry
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Depression is a common comorbidity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  • Accurate assessment of depression is crucial for effective management of COPD patients.
  • The validity of standard depression scales in COPD populations requires evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the validity of the Hamilton Depression Scale (HDS) in patients with moderate to severe COPD.
  • To determine if the six-item Hamilton Depression subscale (HDSS) is a reliable measure for depression in this cohort.

Main Methods:

  • 49 patients with moderate to severe COPD were assessed using ICD-10 criteria for depression.
  • 46 patients were evaluated with the 17-item HDS and the six-item HDSS.
  • Internal and external validity were examined using factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, Loevinger's homogeneity coefficient, correlation, and ROC curves.

Main Results:

  • 47% of COPD patients met ICD-10 criteria for depression.
  • The HDSS demonstrated good internal validity, unlike the full HDS.
  • The HDSS also showed acceptable external validity in this patient group.

Conclusions:

  • The six-item Hamilton Depression subscale (HDSS) is recommended as a suitable depression rating scale for COPD patients.
  • The HDSS provides a valid and reliable method for screening depression in individuals with COPD.
Abstract

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