title: Accuracy of general practitioner unassisted detection of depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Primary care is an important setting for the treatment of depression. The aim of the study was to describe the accuracy of unassisted general practitioner judgements of patients' depression compared to a standardised depression-screening tool delivered via touch-screen computer.
  
  
  METHODS
  English-speaking patients, aged 18 or older, completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) when presenting for care to one of 51 general practitioners in Australia. General practitioners were asked whether they thought the patients were clinically depressed. General practitioner judgements of depression status were compared to PHQ-9 results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1558 patients participated. Twenty per cent of patients were identified by the PHQ-9 as being depressed. General practitioners estimated a similar prevalence; however, when compared to the PHQ-9, GP judgement had a sensitivity of 51% (95% CI [32%, 66%]) and a specificity of 87% (95% CI [78%, 93%]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  General practitioner unassisted judgements of depression in their patients lacked sensitivity when compared to a standardised psychiatric measure used in general practice.
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Australia mariko.carey@newcastle.edu.au.
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Australia.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meadows
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Australia.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanson-Fisher
authors.affiliation: Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Australia Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Este
authors.affiliation: Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Australia Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inder
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Australia.
authors.forename: Sze Lin
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Yoong
authors.affiliation: Southern Academic Primary Care Research Unit, School of Primary Health Care, Monash University, Notting Hill, Australia.
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Russell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Case finding; depression; primary care; screening; sensitivity; specificity