A brief and rapid procedure to measure the intensity of depressive symptoms in Primary Care

Authors

  • A. Cordero-Villafáfila Mental Health Service “Mirafl ores” de Alcobendas Madrid
  • J. A. Ramos-Brieva Psychiatry Department Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal Madrid (IRYCIS) Universidad de Alcalá de Henares Madrid
  • R. Gutiérrez Labrador Mental Health Service “Mirafl ores” de Alcobendas Madrid
  • M. L. Zamarro Arranz Mental Health Service “Mirafl ores” de Alcobendas Madrid

Keywords:

Depression, primary care, medical patients, assessment, evaluation

Abstract

Introduction. Depression occupies a substantial part of medical visit attendance. However, medical practitioners have very little time so that a brief, quick and reliable procedure to evaluate the intensity of symptoms and their changes could be useful. Our objective has been to analyze the reliability of a self-applied Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) to measure symptom intensity in depressed patients within this context.

Material and Methods. One hundred depressed outpatients (ICD-10) stated their clinical situation on a VAS. The psychiatrist evaluated them using a Global Clinical Impression (GGI) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17).

Results and conclusions. The patient’s VAS showed high correlation with the HDRS-17 and with the GCI used by the psychiatrist (r = 0.63 and r=0.58; p=0.000). This suggests that the use of a VAS in Primary Care could be useful and reliable for these purposes within the medical contexts of those having little time availability.

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Published

2011-01-01

How to Cite

A. Cordero-Villafáfila, et al. “A Brief and Rapid Procedure to Measure the Intensity of Depressive Symptoms in Primary Care”. Actas Españolas De Psiquiatría, vol. 39, no. 1, Jan. 2011, pp. 45-48, https://actaspsiquiatria.es/index.php/actas/article/view/705.

Issue

Vol. 39 No. 1 (2011)

Section

Original