title: Getting it Right: study protocol to determine the diagnostic accuracy of a culturally-specific measure to screen for depression in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
abstract: A freely available, culturally valid depression screening tool is required for use by primary care services across Australia to screen for depression in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander populations. This is the protocol for a study aiming to determine the validity, sensitivity and specificity of the culturally adapted 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (aPHQ-9).
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional validation study. A total of 500 people who self-identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, are ≥18 years of age, attending 1 of 10 primary healthcare services or service events across Australia and able to communicate sufficiently to answer study questions will be recruited. All participants will complete the aPHQ-9 and the criterion standard MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) 6.0.0. The primary outcome is the criterion validity of the aPHQ-9. Process outcomes related to acceptability and feasibility of the aPHQ-9 will be analysed only if the measure is found to be valid.
  
  
  
  Lead ethical approval was obtained jointly from the University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee (project 2014/361) and the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of New South Wales (project 1044/14). Results will be disseminated via the usual scientific forums, including peer-reviewed publications and presentations at international conferences following presentation to, discussion with and approval by participating primary healthcare service staff and community.
  
  
  
  ACTRN12614000705684.
authors.affiliation: Neurological and Mental Health Division, The George Institute for Global Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, UK.
authors.forename: Maree L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hackett
authors.affiliation: Neurological and Mental Health Division, The George Institute for Global Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farnbach
authors.affiliation: Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Glozier
authors.affiliation: Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teixeira-Pinto
authors.affiliation: Southern Queensland Centre of Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care, Metro South Health, Queensland Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.|Discipline of General Practice, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Askew
authors.affiliation: Victorian Aboriginal Health Service, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gee
authors.affiliation: Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cass
authors.affiliation: South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000941:ethics*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Depression; Indigenous Australians; MENTAL HEALTH; Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)