Automated telephone screening survey for depression.
OBJECTIVE
To test the application of fully automated telephone screening using computerized digital voice recordings and touch-tone responses to assess symptoms of depression.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of a 2-week-long telephone survey.


METHODS
Toll-free telephone calls placed from home, work, or school to a central telephone/computer system at a telecommunications company in the Boston, Mass, area.


METHODS
A total of 1812 participants called the system. Of these, 278 were students and faculty at a large midwestern state university, 725 were employees of a large northeastern high-technology firm, and 809 did not identify which site they were calling from.


METHODS
The 20-question multiple-choice Zung Depression Scale was used to screen for depressive symptoms, and additional questions gathered demographic and caller satisfaction information.


RESULTS
No technical problems were encountered during the trial. Of 1812 callers, 1597 (88.1%) completed all questions. Of these, 412 callers (25.8%) met criteria for "moderate or marked" depression and another 194 (12.1%) met criteria for "severe or extreme" depression. The majority of callers scoring positive for depression had received no previous treatment for depression. Of callers who completed the screening questionnaire, 74.6% reported the call to have been at least "moderately" helpful.


CONCLUSIONS
Readily available low-cost technology provides a fully automated, widely accessible, and confidential method of screening for a common mental illness.
Baer
L
L
Consolidated Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., USA.
Jacobs
D G
DG
Cukor
P
P
O'Laughlen
J
J
Coyle
J T
JT
Magruder
K M
KM
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D013689:Telephone; D014481:United States