title: Validation of the Whooley questions and the Beck Depression Inventory in older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the psychometric properties of the Whooley questions and the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-21) in older adults with depression and chronic health problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community.
  
  
  METHODS
  474 adults, aged 72-73 years, living in the city of Oulu, Finland.
  
  
  METHODS
  The screening parameters of the Whooley questions and the BDI-21 for detecting major depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of major depression according to the DSM-IV was 5.3% (single or recurrent episode) obtained by the Mini Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). The BDI-21 was best able to identify a current episode of major depression with a cut-off point of 11. The sensitivity and specificity of this cut-off point were 88.0% (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 68.8-97.5) and 81.7% (95% CI 77.8-85.2), respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was 0.89 (95% CI 0.83-0.96). The two Whooley screening questions had a sensitivity of 62.5% (95% CI 40.6-81.2) and either screening question plus the help question had a sensitivity of 66.7% (44.7-84.4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Beck Depression Inventory is a valid instrument for the diagnosis of depression in older adults. As a screening measure, the optimal cut-off score should be 11 or higher. Our results indicate that the sensitivity of the Whooley questions is not high enough to be used as a screening scale among the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia. kadri.suija@ut.ee
authors.forename: Kadri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suija
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rajala
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jokelainen
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liukkonen
authors.forename: Pirjo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Härkönen
authors.forename: Sirkka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Timonen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D058006:General Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*