The hospital anxiety and depression scale--dimensionality, reliability and construct validity among cognitively...

Depression and anxiety are particularly common among individuals living in long-term care facilities. Therefore, access to a valid and reliable measure of anxiety and depression among nursing home patients is highly warranted.

To investigate the dimensionality, reliability and construct validity of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) in a cognitively intact nursing home population.

Cross-sectional data were collected from two samples; 429 cognitively intact nursing home patients participated, representing 74 different Norwegian nursing homes. Confirmative factor analyses and correlations with selected constructs were used.

The two-factor model provided a good fit in Sample1, revealing a poorer fit in Sample2. Good-acceptable measurement reliability was demonstrated, and construct validity was supported.

Using listwise deletion the sample sizes were 227 and 187, for Sample1 and Sample2, respectively. Greater sample sizes would have strengthen the statistical power in the tests. The researchers visited the participants to help fill in the questionnaires; this might have introduced some bias into the respondents׳ reporting. The 14 HADS items were part of greater questionnaires. Thus, frail, older NH patients might have tired during the interview causing a possible bias.

Low reliability for depression was disclosed, mainly resulting from three items appearing to be inappropriate indicators for depression in this population. Further research is needed exploring which items might perform as more reliably indicators for depression among nursing home patients.