title: Validity of Gotland Male Depression Scale for male depression in a community study: the Sudurnesjamenn study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies suggest a "male depressive syndrome", where not only the standard symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) but also symptoms of anxiety, anger, irritability and antisocial behaviour are prominent.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a community study, 534 males were screened for possible depression by the Gotland Male Depression Scale (GMDS) and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). For comparison psychiatrists examined a sub-sample of healthy and depressive males (n=137). The validity of the GMDS was compared both with the BDI and MDD diagnosis according to DSM-IV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GMDS was as good as BDI for screening males. ROC-curve analysis gave AUC 0.945 (95% CI 0.923-0.968) for GMDS when tested against BDI. Second, when both scales were tested by ROC-curves against DSM-IV, the GMDS had AUC=0.861 (95% CI 0.800-0.921) and BDI had AUC=0.822 (95% CI 0.751-0.893). The estimated prevalence was 14-15%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low participation rate (25%) in the screening phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GMDS is a valid screening tool for detecting male depression (MDD). Furthermore it is a short self-rating scale, easy to use in daily practice to screen for depression. Our results support recent reports of high prevalence of depressions in the community which supports active screening of males in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland. Electronic address: bjs23@hi.is.
authors.forename: Bjarni
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sigurdsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
authors.forename: Sigurdur Pall
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Palsson
authors.affiliation: Center for Sport and Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
authors.forename: Olafur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Aevarsson
authors.affiliation: Arbaer Health Clinic, Primary Health Care of the Capital Area, Reykjavik, Iceland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olafsdottir
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johannsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Community; Depression; Gotland Male Depression Scale (GMDS); Males; Validity