Use of the Patient Care Monitor to screen for depression in adult cancer patients interviewed with the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the Patient Care Monitor (PCM1.0) Acute Distress and Despair normalized T scores as indicators of a diagnosis of Major Depression according to the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID).


METHODS
Subjects were 21 adult cancer patients identified by treating community oncologists as having significant emotional distress matched on age, cancer type, treatment history, and sex to 21 patients not having significant distress. All completed e/tablet PCM 1.0 and SCID administered by trained interviewers. Unweighted kappa and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analyses were used to assess scale properties.


RESULTS
Agreement between SCID Major Depression and Acute Distress and Despair (T> or =65) were kappa=0.751 and 0.755, respectively. ROC area under the curve values for these two scales were 0.967 (SE+/-0.03) and 0.942 (SE+/-0.03), respectively, with optimal cut points of T=61 and 63, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Under conditions of preselected extreme groups, PCM 1.0 Acute Distress and Despair T scores are reasonable screening indicators of clinical depression in cancer patients. PCM 1.0 provides an efficient method for point-of-care screening of depression in community oncology clinics.
Houts
Arthur C
AC
Supportive Oncology Services, Memphis, TN 38138, USA. ahouts@sosacorn.com
Lipinski
Damon
D
Olsen
James P
JP
Baldwin
Scott
S
Hasan
Murad
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards; D012372:ROC Curve; D055815:Young Adult