Hospital Anxiety And Depression Scale Depression Subscale Research Articles

Discriminant validity of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Beck Depression Inventory (II) and Beck Anxiety Inventory to confirmed clinical diagnosis of depression and anxiety in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The objective of this study was to investigate the discriminant validity of commonly used depression and anxiety screening tools in order to determine the most suitable tool for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD patients (n = 56) completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). These scores were compared to confirmed clinical diagnoses of depression and anxiety using the Mini Neuropsychiatric Interview. HADS depression subscale (HADS-D) sensitivity/specificity was 78/81%; BDI-II 89/77%; HADS anxiety subscale (HADS-A) 71/81%; and BAI 89/62%. HADS-D sensitivity/specificity was improved (100/83%) with the removal of Q4 'I feel as if I am slowed down' and adjusted cut-off (≥5). Removal of BDI-II Q21 'Loss of interest in sex' with adjusted cut-off ≥12 resulted in similar improvement (100/79%). No problematic items were identified for HADS-A or BAI. Previously reported low sensitivity/specificity of the HADS for COPD patients was not replicated. Furthermore, simple modifications of the HADS-D markedly improved sensitivity/specificity for depression.BDI-II, HADS-A and BAI produced acceptable sensitivity/specificity unmodified. Pending further research for COPD patients we recommend continued use of the HADS-A with standard cut-off (≥8) and removal of Q4 of the HADS-D with lower cut-off ≥5.

Conventional treatment regimens for ulcerative colitis alleviate fatigue – an observational cohort study

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the course of fatigue in a conventional inflammatory bowel disease treatment setting.Materials and methods: Eighty-two patients with newly diagnosed ulcerative colitis were included in an observational cohort study and received conventional non-biological drug treatment for 3 months. Colonoscopy was performed at diagnosis and after 3 months, disease activity was assessed by Mayo score and measurements of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and fecal calprotectin levels. Fatigue was evaluated using the fatigue visual analog scale (fVAS). Mood was assessed with the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). Associations between fVAS scores and time; age; CRP, fecal calprotectin, hemoglobin, and ferritin levels; and Mayo scores, Mayo endoscopic scores, and HADS depression subscale (HADS-D) scores were explored.Results: Median fVAS scores decreased, as did Mayo scores and CRP and fecal calprotectin concentrations. HADS-D scores remained unchanged, whereas hemoglobin levels increased after 3 months. Increased fVAS scores were associated with higher ferritin, Mayo and HADS-D scores. There were no associations between fVAS scores and CRP, fecal calprotectin, or Mayo endoscopic scores. Colonic disease distribution did not influence fatigue significantly.Conclusions: Disease activity and fatigue improved after 3 months of conventional ulcerative colitis treatment. Over time, more severe fatigue was associated with more ulcerative colitis symptoms, but not with objective disease activity markers or colonic disease distribution. A clinical setting of standard treatment regimens and medical attention may alleviate fatigue in IBD patients.

Validation of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in patients with epilepsy.

Despite the fact that depressive disorders are the most common comorbidities among patients with epilepsy (PWEs), they often go unrecognized and untreated. The availability of validated screening instruments to detect depression in PWEs is limited. The aim of the present study was to validate the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in adult PWEs. A consecutive group of 118 outpatient PWEs was invited to participate in the study. Ninety-six patients met inclusion criteria, completed HADS, and were examined by a trained psychiatrist using Structured Clinical Interview (SCID-I) for DSM-IV-TR. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the optimal threshold scores for the HADS depression subscale (HADS-D). Receiver operating characteristic analyses showed areas under the curve at approximately 84%. For diagnoses of MDD, the HADS-D demonstrated the best psychometric properties for a cutoff score ≥7 with sensitivity of 90.5%, specificity of 70.7%, positive predictive value of 46.3%, and negative predictive value of 96.4%. In the case of the group with 'any depressive disorder', the HADS-D optimum cutoff score was ≥6 with sensitivity of 82.5%, specificity of 73.2%, positive predictive value of 68.8%, and negative predictive value of 85.4%. The HADS-D proved to be a valid and reliable psychometric instrument in terms of screening for depressive disorders in PWEs. In the epilepsy setting, HADS-D maintains adequate sensitivity, acceptable specificity, and high NPV but low PPV for diagnosing MDD with an optimum cutoff score ≥7.

Risk factors of anxiety and depressive symptoms in female patients experiencing intimate partner violence in Poland

IntroductionThere is an evidence indicating that women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) quite common suffer from anxiety and depression, but predictors and protective factors are not well known in this group of patients.AimThe aim of the study was to try to find factor that are connected with higher rates of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the group of female patients experiencing IPV.MethodThe study was conducted in six randomly selected centers of primary health care (PHCs) in Lublin province. One hundred and two female patients experiencing IPV were administered a structured questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The sequential models were created with using backward stepwise multiple regression to investigate potential risk and protective factors connected with higher rates of anxiety and depression symptom in the group.ResultsIn a study group, 68% in Anxiety Subscale(A) and 56% in Depression Subscale of HADS (D) had positive scores. Living in the country (P = 0.003) was connected with higher scores in HADS-A (P = 0.003) but not in HADS-D. Experiencing physical violence was connected with higher score in HADS-D (P = 0.005), but not in HADS-A. Chronic physical illness (A P = 0.013; D P = 0.015), being unemployed (A P = 0.024; B P = 0.008), and experiencing economic violence (A P < 0.001; D P = 0.001) were connected with higher stores in both Subscales of HADS. Taking financial support (A P = 0.002, D P = 0.003) was the protective factor for both kinds of symptoms.ConclusionsSocio-economic factors have stronger influence on anxiety and depressive symptoms in women experiencing IPV than demographic factors.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Risk Factors for Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety One Year Poststroke: A Longitudinal Study

ObjectiveTo estimate the relative contribution of psychological factors next to sociodemographic and premorbid/stroke-related factors to the risk of developing symptoms of depression and anxiety after stroke. DesignMulticenter, longitudinal cohort study. SettingPatients after stroke from 6 general hospitals. ParticipantsPatients (N=331) were included at stroke onset and followed up 2 and 12 months after stroke. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresSociodemographic and premorbid/stroke-related information was recorded during hospital admission, whereas psychological characteristics were determined with postal questionnaires 2 months poststroke. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) 2 and 12 months poststroke. Multivariable logistic analysis was performed to analyze the influence of sociodemographic, premorbid/stroke-related, and psychological characteristics on depressive symptoms (depression subscale of HADS >7) and symptoms of anxiety (anxiety subscale of HADS >7) 1 year after stroke. ResultsEarly depression, stroke severity, posterior cerebral artery stroke, and neuroticism independently explained the variance of depressive symptoms 1 year poststroke (discriminative power, 83%; adjusted R2 value, 36%). Neuroticism and early anxiety independently explained the variance of symptoms of anxiety 1 year poststroke (discriminative power, 88%; adjusted R2 value, 44%). Based on these predictive models, nomograms were constructed to visually reflect the individual contribution of each risk factor to the development of long-term mood disorders after stroke. ConclusionsPsychological characteristics are important risk factors for poststroke symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Assessing anxiety in Black men with prostate cancer: further data on the reliability and validity of the Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer (MAX-PC).

The National Cancer Institute has highlighted the need for psychosocial research to focus on Black cancer patients. This applies to Black men with prostate cancer, as there is little systematic research concerning psychological distress in these men. This study was designed to validate the Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer (MAX-PC) in Black men with prostate cancer to help facilitate research within this group. At three institutions, Black men with prostate cancer (n=101) completed the MAX-PC, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Distress Thermometer. The average age of the 101 men was 66 (SD=10) and 58% had early-stage disease. The MAX-PC and its subscales (Prostate Cancer Anxiety, PSA Anxiety, and Fear of Recurrence) produced strong coefficient alphas (0.89, 0.88, 0.71, and 0.77, respectively). Factor analysis supported the three-factor structure of the scale established in earlier findings. The MAX-PC also demonstrated strong validity. MAX-PC total scores correlated highly with the Anxiety subscale of the HADS (r=0.59, p<0.01) and the FACT Emotional Well-Being subscale (r=-0.55, p<0.01). Demonstrating discriminant validity, the correlation with the HADS Depression subscale (r=0.40, p<0.01) and the CES-D (r=0.42, p<0.01) was lower compared to that with the HADS Anxiety subscale. The MAX-PC is valid and reliable in Black men with prostate cancer. We hope the validation of this scale in Black men will help facilitate psychosocial research in this group that is disproportionately adversely affected by this cancer.

Psychological distress, burnout level and job satisfaction in emergency medicine: A cross-sectional study of physicians in China.

Chinese physicians are not only facing heavy work overloads, but also abuse and injury because of patient mistrust of physicians. The primary objective of the present study was to measure psychological distress, burnout levels and job satisfaction among Chinese emergency physicians. All the physicians from the EDs of three large general hospitals were recruited to undertake a questionnaire-based survey from March to April 2012. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey and Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire were used. Correlations between job satisfaction and psychological distress and burnout were calculated using the Pearson correlation. An outcome was considered statistically significant if P < 0.05. Completed questionnaires were received from 205 (82.0%) physicians. The mean HADS anxiety subscale scores for the ED physicians and general population were 7.8 ± 3.4 and 4.7 ± 3.5, respectively (t = 1.526, P < 0.05). Additionally, the mean HADS depression subscale scores were 7.9 ± 3.6 and 4.7 ± 3.9, respectively (t = 1.567, P < 0.05). Fifty-two (25.4%) exhibited high levels of career burnout. All aspects of job satisfaction were significantly lower in the ED physicians compared with a previous report (P < 0.05). Burnout was significantly negatively correlated with intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction in the sampled population. Psychological distress is prevalent in this group of ED physicians, and it deserves attention from the whole society. Burnout and job satisfaction among ED physicians are at a 'moderate' level. Burnout is negatively associated with higher job satisfaction.

Validity and screening properties of three depression rating scales in a prospective sample of patients with severe traumatic brain injury.

To evaluate the validity and utility of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) as screening tools for depression after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Forty-six consecutive survivors of severe TBI were evaluated at a median of 15 months after injury. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed using HAM-D, BDI, and HADS as predictors, and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) as gold standard. The area under the curve (AUC) for HAM-D was 0.89, and the optimal cutoff point was 7 (sensitivity 92.9%, specificity 78.1%); for the BDI, the AUC was 0.946 and the optimal cutoff point was 14 (sensitivity 92.3%, specificity 96.7%); for the HADS, the AUC was 0.947 and the optimal cutoff point was 9 (sensitivity 100%, specificity 80.7%); and for the HADS depression subscale, the AUC was 0.937 and the optimal cutoff point was 6 (sensitivity 92.9%, specificity 83.9%). There were no statistically significant differences among the AUCs. Our findings support a high validity and utility for the HAM-D, BDI, and HADS as screening tools for depression in patients with severe TBI, without major changes in standard cutoff points.

Effect of brief psychoeducation using a tablet PC on distress and quality of life in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a pilot study

Managing distress has become crucial in optimized cancer care. Psychoeducation using tablet PCs has potential as a novel intervention to reduce distress in cancer patients. We examined the benefit of a single-session psychoeducation using a tablet PC during chemotherapy. Thirty-six cancer patients with significant levels of distress, as determined by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), enrolled from the chemotherapy unit in Seoul National University Cancer Hospital. Participants were quasi-randomized into either the intervention (n = 19) or control (n = 17) group. Twenty-minute-long psychoeducation on distress management was provided via tablet PCs during chemotherapy infusion. HADS, Short-form 8 Health Survey, MD Anderson Symptom Inventory, Insomnia Severity Index, and Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) were administered at baseline and 3 weeks later. The use of psychosocial services was reviewed 6 months later. Compared with controls, the intervention group showed a superior 3-week clinical trajectory regarding the score changes of the HADS depression subscale (U = 69.0; p = 0.006), mental component summary score of the Short-form 8 Health Survey (U = 75.5; p = 0.011), Impact of Event Scale-Revised avoidance subscale (U = 89.0; p = 0.036), and Insomnia Severity Index total score (U = 82.5; p = 0.021). There was no significant between-group difference regarding the use of psychosocial services after 6 months. A tablet PC-based psychoeducation during chemotherapy infusion could be an effective intervention on managing depression, sleep disturbance, and quality of life in cancer patients suffering from distress.

Co-existing mental and medical conditions among family medicine outpatients in a tertiary hospital in southern Nigeria

Background: A considerable number of patients seen in the Primary Care Clinics have co-morbid mental disorders with medical conditions that are largely not recognized by the primary care physician. This inability to recognize these mental disorders lead to non diagnosis and non treatment with eventual amplification of physical symptoms, low productivity at work and functional disability at home.Aims: To screen the patients attending the general outpatient clinic for anxiety and depression co-occurring with medical conditions.Methods: Two hundred and forty five patients aged 20 years and above attending the General Outpatient Clinic of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital were randomly assessed for anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The level of caseness for anxiety and depression were determined using a HADS score of 8 and above. Their medical conditions were diagnosed and associations were determined with mental disorders (anxiety and depression).Results: A total of 36.7% of patients scored above cut off point of 8 on the anxiety subscale while 24.5% of the subjects scored above cut off point of 8 on the depression subscale. 24.1%, (n=59) scored 8-10 on the anxiety subscale of HADS which is interpreted to be mild anxiety, 11.0%, (n=27) scored 11-14 on the anxiety subscale of HADS which is interpreted to be moderate anxiety and 1.6%, (n=4) scored 15-21 on the anxiety subscale of HADS which is interpreted to be severe anxiety. Similarly, 15.9%, (n=39) scored 8-10 on the depression subscale of HADS which is interpreted to be mild depression, 7.8%, (n=19) scored 11-14 on the depression subscale of HADS which is interpreted to be moderate depression and 0.8%, (n=2) scored 15-21 on the depression subscale of HADS which is interpreted to be severe depression. Hypertension was present in 22.04%, (n=54) respondents with anxiety p = 0.016 and depression p=0.025. HIV/AIDS was present in 4.08%, (n=10) respondents with depression p = 0.006.Conclusion: The result of the study shows that patients attending general outpatients' clinic suffer from mental disorders like anxiety and depression which may co- exist with hypertension and HIV/AIDS. Therefore, a careful assessment of patients attending these clinics will detect these disorders and treatment will improve the physical condition of the patients.

Transient impact of baseline depression on mortality in patients with stable coronary heart disease during long-term follow-up

The objective of this prospective study was to determine the impact of depressive symptoms on long-term survival in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients treated with intracoronary stenting. Four hundred and seventy patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) before undergoing stent implantation and were followed over a 5-year period. Survival data were collected from n = 462 participants (98.3 %). A cut-off ≥8 on the HADS depression subscale was used to indicate probable clinical levels of depression. All-cause mortality rates differed significantly between depressed and non-depressed patients at 2-year follow-up, as 6 out of 98 subjects with elevated HADS-D scores (6.1 %), but only 8 out of 364 (2.2 %) patients with normal HADS-D scores had died [odds ratio = 2.9, 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) = 1.0-8.6, p = 0.044]. In a Cox regression model adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical parameters, positive HADS-D scores [hazard ratio (HR) = 4.3, 95 % CI = 1.2-15.4, p = 0.025], body-mass index (HR = 0.8, 95 % CI = 0.7-1.0, p = 0.040) and stent length (HR = 1.1, 95 % CI = 1.0-1.1, p = 0.042) independently predicted 2-year survival. From the third to the fifth year after index PCI, the frequency of deaths in the depressed patients' group did not significantly differ from that observed in non-depressed patients (5.5 % versus 7.0 %, p = 0.607), and the predictive role of baseline HADS-D scores for survival was lost. In CHD patients, self-rated depressive symptoms at baseline were negatively linked to survival at 2-year follow-up, but failed to predict mortality 3 years later. Thus, in contrast to other well-established risk factors, the prognostic value of depression for predicting adverse outcome may be temporarily limited. The mechanisms behind this transient effect need further study.

Mental Health Self-Assessment in Patients With Moderate to Severe Psoriasis: An Observational, Multicenter Study of 1164 Patients in Spain (The VACAP Study)

BackgroundPoor self-assessed mental health appears to be related to the severity of psoriasis. ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of psoriasis severity on mood and anxiety disorders. MethodsA prospective, observational, multicenter study was conducted by 123 dermatologists in Spain. Patients (n=164; mean [SD] age, 45.11 [13.92] years; 60.8% males) with moderate to severe psoriasis were evaluated at baseline and 4 months later. Psoriasis severity was measured using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), with a score range of 0 (mild) to 72 (severe); body surface area involvement (BSA); and physician global assessment (PGA) scores, with a range of 1 (mild) to 7 (severe). Mental health was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), with a total possible score of 0–42 (higher scores representing worse mental health). Mean first and second visit scores were compared. ResultsMean (SD) scores improved between the first and second visit as follows: 13.24 (9.50) to 5.07 (6.03) for PASI, 12.52 (7.92) to 10.78 (7.32) for overall HADS, 7.83 (4.55) to 6.85 (4.21) for the HADS anxiety subscale, and 4.72 (4.12) to 3.95 (3.76) for the HADS depression subscale (P<.001 in all cases). Multivariate analyses showed that the main factors related to anxiety were psoriasis severity, sex, and completion of graduate studies. The independent variables included in the model for depression were psoriasis severity, sex, and psoriasis located on the head. ConclusionsReductions in disease severity improve self-assessed mood and anxiety disorders in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.

Mental Health Self-Assessment in Patients With Moderate to Severe Psoriasis: An Observational, Multicenter Study of 1164 Patients in Spain (The VACAP Study)

BackgroundPoor self-assessed mental health appears to be related to the severity of psoriasis. ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of psoriasis severity on mood and anxiety disorders. MethodsA prospective, observational, multicenter study was conducted by 123 dermatologists in Spain. Patients (n=164; mean [SD] age, 45.11 [13.92] years; 60.8% males) with moderate to severe psoriasis were evaluated at baseline and 4 months later. Psoriasis severity was measured using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), with a score range of 0 (mild) to 72 (severe); body surface area involvement (BSA); and physician global assessment (PGA) scores, with a range of 1 (mild) to 7 (severe). Mental health was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), with a total possible score of 0–42 (higher scores representing worse mental health). Mean first and second visit scores were compared. ResultsMean (SD) scores improved between the first and second visit as follows: 13.24 (9.50) to 5.07 (6.03) for PASI, 12.52 (7.92) to 10.78 (7.32) for overall HADS, 7.83 (4.55) to 6.85 (4.21) for the HADS anxiety subscale, and 4.72 (4.12) to 3.95 (3.76) for the HADS depression subscale (P<.001 in all cases). Multivariate analyses showed that the main factors related to anxiety were psoriasis severity, sex, and completion of graduate studies. The independent variables included in the model for depression were psoriasis severity, sex, and psoriasis located on the head. ConclusionsReductions in disease severity improve self-assessed mood and anxiety disorders in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.

The Association of Cancer Patients’ Emotional Suppression and Their Self-Rating of Psychological Distress on Short Screening Tools

Emotional suppression of negative emotions was previously reported to be related to higher psychological distress in cancer patients. The possible effect of elevated levels of emotional suppression on the use of instruments for screening for distress in cancer patients has not been studied. To assess the relation of cancer patients’ emotional suppression to their self-rating on the Distress Thermometer (DT) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Two hundred forty one cancer patients, aged 21–87 years, completed the DT, the HADS and the Courtauld Emotional Control scale (CEC). Participants reported moderated levels of psychological distress but high mean levels of emotional suppression. Older age and higher levels of education and income predicted lower score on the DT and the HADS. Higher emotional suppression predicted lower self-reported psychological distress on the DT, the total HADS score and the HADS depression subscale, but not on the anxiety subscale. Emotion-regulation style may affect cancer patients’ self-rating on the screening instruments, hence, reduce their accurate identification of distressed patients.

2275 – Depression and anxiety in women with breast cancer at the first oncology consultation after surgery

There is evidence that women with breast cancer can develop anxiety and depression, ultimately affecting patients’ compliance and quality of life. Previous studies investigated psychological distress in women with breast cancer at different stages of the disease. However, few data are available about Italian women in the early steps of their clinical history. To investigate psychological distress, anxiety and depressive symptoms in a sample of women with a recent diagnosis of breast cancer. This cross-sectional study involved twenty-five women consecutively attending the oncology outpatient clinic for their first oncology evaluation after surgery. Anxious and depressive symptomatology was assessed through the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Distress Thermometer (DT). Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were also collected. Correlations were analyzed using Spearman's correlation coefficient. The mean values (±SD) of the HADS Anxiety and Depression Subscales were 7.6 (±4.7) and 5.7 (±4.4) respectively. Five patients (24%) scored ≥10 at the HADS Anxiety subscale and 16% scored ≥10 at the HADS Depression subscale, suggesting the presence of clinically relevant symptomatology. DT mean score (±SD) was 5.36 (±3.5), with 48% of patients scoring ≥7, indicative of significant psychological distress. Multivariate analysis showed an inverse correlation between psychological distress severity and time after cancer diagnosis. These preliminary findings show a prevalence of anxious and depressive symptoms in one out four women with breast cancer. Further prosecution of the study will help to identify women at risk for psychiatric comorbidities, suggesting the development of targeted interventions.

Differential item functioning of the HADS and PHQ-9: An investigation of age, gender and educational background in a clinical UK primary care sample

BackgroundThe Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) are commonly used measures in clinical practice and research. It is important that such scales measure the trait they purport to measure and that the impact of other measurement artefacts is minimal. Differential item functioning of these scales by gender, educational background and age is currently assessed. MethodsSeverity of depression and anxiety symptoms were measured in primary care patients referred to mental health workers using the PHQ-9 and HADS. Each scale was assessed for Differential Item Functioning (DIF) and Differential Test Function (DTF) by gender, educational background and age. Minimum n per analysis=895. DIF was assessed with Mantel's χ2, Liu-Agresti cumulative common odds ratio (LA LOR) and the standardised LA LOR (LA LOR-Z). DTF was assessed in relation to ν2. ResultsPHQ-9, HADS Depression Sub-scale (HADS-D) and HADS Anxiety Subscale (HADS-A) lacked bias in terms of gender and educational background (ν2<0.07). However, both PHQ-9 and HADS-D exhibited bias with regard to age: PHQ-9 ν2=0.103 (medium effect); HADS-D ν2=0.214 (large effect). PHQ-9 items exhibiting DIF by age covered: anhedonia, energy and low mood. HADS-D items exhibiting DIF by age covered psychomotor retardation and interest in appearance. LimitationsNo assessment of other potential DIF contributors was made. ConclusionsPHQ-9, HADS-D and HADS-A generally do not exhibit bias for gender and educational background. However bias was observed in PHQ-9 and HADS-D for age. Caution should be exercised interpreting scores both in clinical practice and research.

Screening for anxiety and depression in dialysis patients: Comparison of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory

ObjectiveAlthough anxiety and depression are frequent comorbid disorders in dialysis patients, they remain underrecognized and often untreated. The aim of the study was to evaluate the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and a truncated version of the BDI, the Cognitive Depression Index (CDI), as screening tools for anxiety and depression in dialysis patients. MethodsA total of 109 participants (69.7% males), from four dialysis centers, completed the self-report symptom scales HADS and BDI. Depression and anxiety disorders were diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders (SCID-I). The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, overall agreement, kappa and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were assessed. ResultsDepressive disorders were found in 22% of the patients based on the SCID-I, while anxiety disorders occurred in 17%. The optimal screening cut-off score for depression was ≥7 for the HADS depression subscale (HADS-D), ≥14 for the HADS-total, ≥11 for the CDI and ≥17 for the BDI. The optimal screening cut-off for anxiety was ≥6 for the HADS anxiety subscale (HADS-A) and ≥14 for the HADS-total. At cut-offs commonly used in clinical practice for depression screening (HADS-D: 8; BDI: 16), the BDI performed slightly better than HADS-D. ConclusionThe BDI, CDI and HADS demonstrated acceptable performance as screening tools for depression, as did the HADS-A for anxiety, in our sample of dialysis patients. The recommended cut-off scores for each instrument were: ≥17 for BDI, ≥11 for CDI, ≥7 for HADS depression subscale, ≥6 for HADS anxiety subscale and ≥14 for HADS total. The CDI did not perform better than the BDI in our study. Lower cut-off for the HADS-A than recommended in medically ill patients may be considered when screening for anxiety in dialysis patients.

Symptoms of anxiety or depression and risk of fracture in older people: the Hertfordshire Cohort Study

The aim of this study was to examine the prospective association between symptoms of anxiety and depression and risk of fracture in older people. Results showed that men, but not women, with probable anxiety at baseline had an increased risk of fracture. The use of psychotropic drugs has been linked with an increased risk of fracture in older people, but there are indications that the conditions for which these drugs were prescribed may themselves influence fracture risk. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between symptoms of anxiety and depression and risk of fracture in older people. The study design is a prospective cohort study. One thousand eighty-seven men and 1,050 women aged 59-73years completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Data on incident fracture during an average follow-up period of 5.6years were collected through interview and a postal questionnaire. Compared to men with no or few symptoms of anxiety (score ≤7 on the HADS anxiety subscale), men with probable anxiety (score ≥11) had an increased risk of fracture: After adjustment for age and potential confounding factors, the odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval) was 4.03 (1.55, 10.5). There were no associations between levels of anxiety and fracture risk in women. Few men or women had probable depression at baseline (score ≥11 on the HADS depression subscale). Amongst men with possible depression (score 8-10), there was an increased risk of fracture that was of borderline significance: multivariate-adjusted OR 3.57 (0.99, 12.9). There was no association between possible depression and fracture risk in women. High levels of anxiety in older men may increase their risk of fracture. Future research needs to replicate this finding in other populations and investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Diagnostic accuracy of self-rating scales for screening of depression in coronary artery disease patients

ObjectiveWe evaluated the internal consistency and psychometric properties of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) for screening of major depressive episodes (MDE) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients undergoing rehabilitation. MethodsFive-hundred and twenty-two consecutive CAD patients (72% men; mean age 58±9years) attending a rehabilitation program 2weeks after inpatient treatment for acute ischemic cardiac events completed the HADS depression subscale (HADS-D), HADS anxiety subscale (HADS-A) and the BDI-II. Interview outcome using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) for current MDE according to the DSM-IV-TR criteria was considered as the gold standard. ResultsFifty-six (11%) patients had a current MDE. The HADS-D, HADS-A, HADS-total and BDI-II had high internal consistency. Area under the ROC curve was the highest for the BDI-II followed by the HADS. Optimal cut-off values for screening of MDE were ≥5 for the HADS-D, ≥8 for the HADS-A and ≥14 for the HADS-total and for the BDI-II. At optimal cut-off values the BDI-II had slightly superior psychometric properties when compared to the HADS. However, positive predictive values were low for the HADS and for the BDI-II. ConclusionsIn CAD patients undergoing rehabilitation, the HADS and BDI-II had high internal consistency. Screening for MDE at optimal cut-off values the BDI-II was slightly superior when compared to the HADS. Positive predictive values for the BDI-II and for the HADS were low indicating that a large proportion of patients with positive screening results did not meet criteria for MDE.

The cut-off points of the Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in detecting non-full remission and a current major depressive episode

Objective. This study aimed to ascertain the cut-off scores of the Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale (DSSS) for non-full remission (FR) and a current major depressive episode (MDE) and compare the discriminative abilities of the DSSS and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Methods. One-hundred and nineteen depressive outpatients who completed a 6-month follow-up were used to ascertain the cut-off scores for non-FR, defined as a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score ≥ 8; another 214 consecutive outpatients were assessed to identify the cut-off scores for a MDE, as defined by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to ascertain the cut-off scores. Results. The area under the ROC curve was greatest for the DSSS depression subscale (DS), followed by the HADS depression subscale (HADS-D). The cut-off scores for non-FR were a DS score ≥ 9 (sensitivity and specificity: 88.7 and 71.9%, respectively) and a HADS-D score ≥ 8 (77.4 and 84.2%), and the cut-off scores for a MDE were a DS score ≥ 19 (86.3 and 75.6%) and a HADS-D score ≥ 11 (77.9 and 76.5%). Conclusions. The DSSS and HADS can be used to distinguish different depressive states. The results demonstrated the discriminative validity of the DSSS and the HADS.