Assessment of depression in an elderly medical population

Two self-rating depression scales, the Depression Factor Score derived from the SCL-90 and the Geriatric Depression Scale were administered to 220 medical geriatric in-patients, and two psychiatrists, after a clinical interview, made a diagnosis according to the DSM-III criteria for affective disorders. Eighteen patients were found to be affected by major depression, 49 by dysthymic disorder, 14 by atypical depression and 13 by an adjustment disorder with depressive mood. Women and single persons proved to be significantly more affected by depressive disturbances. The performance of both scales was good, so that they seem to be useful instruments aiding the non-specialist physician in a rapid screening procedure for the identification of depression in elderly patients with medical problems.