Screening for depressive disorders in outpatients with mild to moderate psoriasis: a study from North India.
BACKGROUND
Psoriasis and depressive disorders commonly occur together. Depressive disorders have an impact on the quality of life and the outcome of psoriasis.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of using a modification of the Hindi translation of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) as a verbal, clinician administered, short screening questionnaire for detecting depressive disorders.


METHODS
One hundred and four out-patients with psoriasis were recruited in the study. In the first stage of the study, socio-demographic data, Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score, and Dermatological Quality of Life (DLQI) score were recorded. The modified questionnaire was administered by the dermatologist. In the second stage, psychiatric diagnoses were confirmed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview.


RESULTS
The prevalence of depressive disorders was 39.4%. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis showed that the questionnaire had a good discriminant ability in detecting depressive disorders (area under curve: 0.81, SE = 0.04, 95% confidence interval = 0.72-0.89).


CONCLUSIONS
The sample size is small and more studies are needed with the screening questions in different languages to validate the findings of the study.


CONCLUSIONS
The questionnaire can be a useful screening instrument for detecting depressive disorders in patients with psoriasis.
Shubh Mohan
SM
Singh
Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
Tarun
T
Narang
Sunil
S
Dogra
Anant Kumar
AK
Verma
Sunil
S
Gupta
Sanjeev
S
Handa
D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires