Comparing various short-form Geriatric Depression Scales leads to the GDS-5/15.
OBJECTIVE
To compare three published short GDS scales and to identify a valid and reliable short-form alternative to the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale.


METHODS
Comparative validation study via retrospective chart review of 816 acute care patients in an 830-bed academic medical center in the USA in 2001.


METHODS
Data of the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale, the Mini-Mental State Examination, and demographic data were extracted from medical records after patient discharge. Three scales: the D'Ath GDS-4, van Marwijk GDS-4, and Hoyl GDS-5, were compared to the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale.


RESULTS
The Hoyl 5-item version showed the highest sensitivity (97.9%). Concern for GDS-5 false positives when compared to the 15-item GDS (specificity 72.7%) led to re-ordering the 15 GDS items into a new two-tiered instrument, the GDS-5/15. In this study of 816 older adult inpatients, 60% were screened as "not depressed" using the first 5 items on the GDS-5/15, leaving 40% for continued screening and completion of all 15 GDS items.


CONCLUSIONS
A shorter screening tool might encourage more providers to add depression screening to routine health care visits. The GDS-5/15 is an alternative screening tool.
Weeks
Sandra Kenney
SK
North Carolina Baptist Hospital, Wake Forest University, Baptist Medical Center, Winston Salem, NC, USA. sweeks@wfubmc.edu
McGann
Paul E
PE
Michaels
Teresa King
TK
Penninx
Brenda W J H
BW
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000368:Aged; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D009657:North Carolina; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors