title: Cardiac Depression Scale: Mokken scaling in heart failure patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a high prevalence of depression in patients with heart failure (HF) that is associated with worsening prognosis. The value of using a reliable and valid instrument to measure depression in this population is therefore essential. We validated the Cardiac Depression Scale (CDS) in heart failure patients using a model of ordinal unidimensional measurement known as Mokken scaling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We administered in face-to-face interviews the CDS to 603 patients with HF. Data were analysed using Mokken scale analysis. Items of the CDS formed a statistically significant unidimensional Mokken scale of low strength (H<0.40) and high reliability (Rho>0.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CDS has a hierarchy of items which can be interpreted in terms of the increasingly serious effects of depression occurring as a result of HF. Identifying an appropriate instrument to measure depression in patients with HF allows for early identification and better medical management.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Centre, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Chantal F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Ski
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hare
authors.forename: Andrew G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*