[Validity and reliability of the screening questionnaire for geriatric depression used in the Mexican Health and Age Study].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the validity and reliability of a geriatric depression questionnaire used in the Mexican Health and Age Study (MHAS).


METHODS
The study was conducted at the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ) clinic from May 2005 to March 2006. This depression screening nine-item questionnaire was validated using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) (fourth revised version) and Yesavage's 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) criteria. The instrument belongs to the MHAS, a prospective panel study of health and aging in Mexico.


RESULTS
A total of 199 subjects 65 years of age and older participated in the validation process (median age= 79.5 years). MHAS questionnaire result was significantly correlated to the clinical depression diagnosis (p<0.001) and to the GDS-15 score (p<0.001). Internal consistency was adequate (alpha coefficient: 0.74). The cutoff point > or = 5/9 points yielded an 80.7% and 68.7% sensitivity and specificity respectively. The fidelity for the test retest was excellent (intra-class correlation coefficient= 0.933). Finally, the Bland and Altman agreement points indicated a difference 0.22 percent points between test retest.


CONCLUSIONS
The MHAS questionnaire is valid and trustworthy, and allows screening in the research field for the presence of depression in the elderly.
Aguilar-Navarro
Sara Gloria
SG
Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Ciudad de México. sganajma@yahoo.com.mx
Fuentes-Cantú
Alejandro
A
Avila-Funes
José Alberto
JA
García-Mayo
Emilio José
EJ
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008403:Mass Screening; D008800:Mexico; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires