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The smiley as a simple screening tool for depression after stroke: a preliminary study
A C K Lee1, S W Tang, G K K Yu
1Department of Nursing Studies, 4/F, William MW Mong Bldg., Academic and Administration Block, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 21, Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong. acklee@hkucc.hku.hk
International Journal of Nursing Studies
|August 21, 2007
Summary
Three smiley pictures effectively screen for depression after stroke (DAS) in older Chinese patients. The "sad" emoticon performed comparably to the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), offering a culturally neutral screening tool.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- Gerontology
Background:
- Limited evidence exists in Hong Kong regarding the optimal tool for measuring depression after stroke (DAS).
- A need for a simple, non-language-based, culturally neutral, non-verbal, and easily applicable depression screening tool for stroke patients is recognized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical utility of three smiley pictures in detecting DAS among older Chinese patients.
- To assess the effectiveness of visual emotion-based tools for depression screening post-stroke.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 253 stroke patients.
- Data collection occurred at 1-month follow-up via interviews conducted by a research nurse.
Main Results:
- The "sad" emoticon demonstrated measurement properties (sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, Kappa) comparable to the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), using DSM IV as the gold standard.
- "Happy" emoticon showed a significant inverse relationship with all depression assessment tools (p<0.001).
- The "flat" emoticon captured 98% of depressed subjects identified by DSM IV, though with less satisfactory predictive values.
Conclusions:
- Smiley pictures show promise for early and prompt depression screening in older stroke patients.
- Further research is recommended to explore cultural implications of emotion expression among Chinese patients.
