Self-reported depression in patients with coronary heart disease.
BACKGROUND
Assessing depression in cardiac patients is challenging because somatic symptoms of depression may be the result of physical illness. This study examined self-reported symptoms of depression in patients with cardiovascular disease.


METHODS
Three hundred six patients with cardiovascular disease completed the Inventory to Diagnose Depression (IDD), which is a self-report depression scale.


RESULTS
Practically all patients reported some symptoms on the IDD, but only a small number had scores in the range suggestive of depression. Somatic symptoms did not contribute disproportionately to depression scores but affective and cognitive symptoms were stronger indicators of depression in these patients. Factor analysis identified one factor that represented a general syndrome of depression.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the IDD has promise as a measure to screen for depression in cardiac patients.
Doerfler
L A
LA
Psychology Department, Assumption College, Worcester, MA 01615-0005, USA. doerfler@eve.assumption.edu
Pbert
L
L
DeCosimo
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index