Detection of depression in primary care: comparison of two self-administered scales

Two self-rated questionnaires, SELFCARE (D) and Hospital Anxiety Depression (HAD) Scale, were compared in relation to their efficacy in detecting depression in 72 elderly patients attending general practitioners at a health centre in Liverpool, England. The sensitivity, specificity and overall misclassification rates of both the scales were assessed against a diagnosis arrived at by using a standardized interview schedule, Geriatric Mental State (community version), and a computerized diagnostic scheme, AGECAT. In this preliminary study, SELFCARE (D) was found to be superior to HAD as a screening instrument for depression in the elderly population in primary care.