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Detecting anxiety and depression in general medical settings
D Goldberg1, K Bridges, P Duncan-Jones
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Manchester.
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.)
|October 8, 1988
Summary
New short scales help non-psychiatrists detect anxiety and depression. These validated tools improve recognition of mental illness in primary care settings, aiding early diagnosis and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychometrics
- General Practice
Background:
- Mental illness is often unrecognized in general medical settings.
- General practitioners (GPs) and non-psychiatrists require accessible tools for mental health assessment.
- Existing psychiatric assessments can be lengthy and complex for primary care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate short scales for measuring anxiety and depression.
- To provide dimensional measures of mental illness severity for non-psychiatric use.
- To improve the recognition of common psychiatric disorders in primary care.
Main Methods:
- Latent trait analysis was used to derive short scales from a standardized psychiatric research interview.
- Scales were designed for administration by non-psychiatrists.
- A screening protocol was implemented: full scale administered only if initial questions are positive.
Main Results:
- The derived short scales demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy.
- Specificity was 91% and sensitivity was 86% when compared to a comprehensive psychiatric assessment.
- The scales provide dimensional measures of anxiety and depression severity.
Conclusions:
- Short scales derived from latent trait analysis are effective for non-psychiatrists in recognizing mental illness.
- These scales can enhance the detection of anxiety and depression in primary care.
- The tools can aid medical students in familiarizing themselves with common psychiatric conditions.