title: Assessing the severity of depressive illness.
abstract: Twenty-five psychiatrists ranked a set of hypothetical patient scenarios, based on the three depression rating scales (Hamilton, Hospital Anxiety and Depression, and Montgomery Asberg), in terms of severity of illness. The results indicate some scope for comparing different condition-specific outcome measures. Although the patient scenarios were context free, the responses of the psychiatrists suggested that they might be used to assess severity of depressive illness.
authors.affiliation: University of Aberdeen, Scotland.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cairns
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Johnston
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index