Relationship between self-reported depression and self-reported visual function in Latinos.
OBJECTIVE
To validate and assess the relationship between self-reported depression as measured by a single item on the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 12 (SF-12) and self-reported visual function.


METHODS
The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study is population-based and designed to assess the prevalence of visual impairment, ocular disease, and visual functioning in Latinos. Both the 25-item National Eye Institute-Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) (self-reported visual function) and the SF-12 (health-related quality of life) were administered. A single item from the SF-12 was used to measure self-reported depression and validated against the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression measure of depression. Covariate-adjusted NEI VFQ-25 subscale scores were contrasted across the 6 response choices of the SF-12, as well as across 3 combined response categories of the SF-12 using analysis of covariance. Covariate-adjusted regression analyses assessed the contribution of self-reported depression in explaining self-reported visual function.


RESULTS
The sensitivity and specificity of the SF-12 single item with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression measure was 0.96 and 0.50, respectively. Using the 3 combined response categories of the SF-12 single item, it was found that (1) all covariate-adjusted subscales of the NEI VFQ-25 were statistically significantly different across the self-reported depression categories (P<.001) and (2) covariate-adjusted self-reported depression was a significant predictor of self-reported visual function (P<.001).


CONCLUSIONS
A single SF-12 item may be used as a measure of self-reported depression. In addition, self-reported depression is an important covariate to consider when assessing self-reported visual function in Latinos.
Paz
Sylvia H
SH
Doheny Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033-9224, USA.
Globe
Denise R
DR
Wu
Joanne
J
Azen
Stanley P
SP
Varma
Rohit
R
D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000208:ethnology*; D014792:Visual Acuity