Simple steps to diagnosis at primary care centres

The prevalence of depression in elderly people varies strongly with the diagnostic criteria and methodology used, but it is often reported 12-15%. During a period of 3 months 1189 patients at two primary care centres were asked to participate in a study there a Swedish version of the Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS-20, were used. One-thousand and two patients were rated, and further analysis showed that 12.9% suffered from affective disorders. Depression in elderly is underdiagnosed in primary care centres. A screening instrument such as the GDS-20 is of value in identifying patients with depression. The 10 doctors who participated in the study found the GDS-20 easy to handle and it is recommended to be used at every primary care centre.