Depressive syndromes are among the most common causes of ill health, premature death, loss of productivity and capacity for work. The syndromes include depression, mania, dysthymia and combinations of these. The diagnoses are made using the criteria in an American (DSM) or a European (ICD-10) classification system. Assessment is usually based on an interview with the patient, often with the aid of guidelines for structured and semistructured interviews. The severity of depression can be estimated with the aid of rating scales, which usually comprise several variables intended to reflect different traits of depressive illness. Every symptom is estimated and given a score. The level of severity is usually expressed as the sum of the different symptom scores. Routine practice varies, in that rating scales and interview formulae are frequently used at some clinics and not at all at others. The primary aim of the project is to determine:• whether the use of structured interviews as an aid increases the proportion of patients correctly diagnosed, compared with diagnoses made without the use of such aids• whether care and recovery are improved if the patient’s condition is regularly reassessed using rating scales• whether the rating scales used in Sweden provide psychometric data which justify their mode of use and whether they have been validated under the conditions in which they are applied • cost effectiveness, risks and ethical aspects of structured interviews and rating scales. The project comprises an extensive systematic survey of the literature, complemented with a questionnaire on established practice routines.
Print page »
Add bookmark »