Assessment of the PHQ-9 as a screening tool for depression in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the test characteristics of the PHQ-9, a new screening tool that has been validated in the general population but not amongst patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV).


METHODS
The PHQ-9, CES-D and BDI-II questionnaires were administered to 129 consecutive patients with chronic HCV attending a specialty clinic between August 2005 and April 2006.


RESULTS
Approximately 52% of participants reported symptoms suggesting depression. Prevalence of depression was 62% using the BDI-II, 75% per the PHQ-9 and 72% per the CES-D. We observed a strong correlation between the BDI-II, CES-D and PHQ-9 in patients on and off interferon. Scores on the three questionnaires were only moderately associated with symptoms reported by the patients. There was moderate agreement between the CES-D and BDI-II and slight agreement between both these questionnaires and the PHQ-9. Scores on the PHQ-9 correlated strongly with scores on the CES-D and BDI-II and moderately with patients' symptoms.
Dbouk
Nader
N
Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1530 3rd Avenue South BDB 327, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. ndbouk@gmail.com
Arguedas
Miguel R
MR
Sheikh
Aasim
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007372:Interferons