Abstract
BackgroundThere is a lack of screening tools for common mental disorders that can be applied across cultures, languages and levels of education in people with diabetes and hypertension.AimTo develop a visual screening tool for depression and anxiety disorders that is applicable across cultures and levels of education.SettingParticipants were purposively recruited from two not-for-profit organisations and two public health facilities – a maternal mental health unit and a primary health care centre.MethodThis was a qualitative cross-sectional study. Thirteen drawings based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale depicting symptoms of anxiety disorders and depression were drawn. Participants described emotions and thoughts depicted in the drawings. Data were analysed through content analysis.ResultsThirty-one women (66%) and 16 men (34%) participated in the development of the visual screening tool. The mean age was 34 (standard deviation [SD] 12.46). There were 32 (68%) black participants, 11 (23%) mixed race participants and 4 (9%) white participants. Two participants (4%) had no schooling, 14 (31%) primary schooling, 8 (18%) senior schooling, 13 (29%) matric qualification and 8 (18%) had post-matric qualification. Participants correctly described 10 out of the 13 visual depiction of symptoms as associated with depression and anxiety disorders, with no differences between levels of education and cultural groups.ConclusionTen drawings were appropriate for inclusion in the visual screening tool for anxiety disorders and depression (VISTAD). The VISTAD will be validated against the mini international neuropsychiatric interview (MINI) in a primary care population with hypertension and/or diabetes.
Highlights
Our study aimed to develop a visual screening tool that can screen both depression and anxiety disorders in people with diabetes and/or hypertension using culture-friendly drawings while avoiding some of the limitations associated with screening tools
Forty-seven participants participated in the development of the new visual screening tool for anxiety disorders and depression (VISTAD)
Our study determined whether participants identified and described symptoms associated with depression and anxiety disorders correctly
Summary
Jenkins et al.[16] and Van Oers and Schlebusch[17] identified the lack of appropriate screening tools as one of the barriers in detecting mental health problems. Multicultural societies, such as South Africa with its 11 official languages, lack screening tools that can be applied to a diverse range of cultural and language groups.[18] A number of screening tools fail to meet acceptability for sensitivity and positive predictive value in the South African population[19] and cannot be generalised to populations different from those who participated in their development.[20]. There is a lack of screening tools for common mental disorders that can be applied across cultures, languages and levels of education in people with diabetes and hypertension
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