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  • Geriatric Depression Scale

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    Deepika C
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    The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a 30-item self-report assessment designed to identify depression in elderly patients. Developed in 1982, it uses a yes/no format that is simpler than other depression scales. While it cannot provide a diagnosis alone, the GDS has been found to be 84% sensitive and 95% specific for depression. It assesses seven common characteristics of geriatric depression and has demonstrated validity and reliability in differentiating depressed from non-depressed elderly patients. A short 15-item version was later developed for those with physical or cognitive impairments. Both versions provide scores that can indicate normal, mild, or severe depression.

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    Scales of measurement

    Original Title

    GERIATRIC DEPRESSION SCALE

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    The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a 30-item self-report assessment designed to identify depression in elderly patients. Developed in 1982, it uses a yes/no format that is simpler than other depression scales. While it cannot provide a diagnosis alone, the GDS has been found to be 84% sensitive and 95% specific for depression. It assesses seven common characteristics of geriatric depression and has demonstrated validity and reliability in differentiating depressed from non-depressed elderly patients. A short 15-item version was later developed for those with physical or cognitive impairments. Both versions provide scores that can indicate normal, mild, or severe depression.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    15 views16 pages

    Geriatric Depression Scale

    Uploaded by

    Deepika C
    The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a 30-item self-report assessment designed to identify depression in elderly patients. Developed in 1982, it uses a yes/no format that is simpler than other depression scales. While it cannot provide a diagnosis alone, the GDS has been found to be 84% sensitive and 95% specific for depression. It assesses seven common characteristics of geriatric depression and has demonstrated validity and reliability in differentiating depressed from non-depressed elderly patients. A short 15-item version was later developed for those with physical or cognitive impairments. Both versions provide scores that can indicate normal, mild, or severe depression.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 16

    GERIATRIC DEPRESSION

    SCALE(GDS)

    DR DEEPIKA C

    04-11-2016 1
    Definition
    • The GDS is a 30-item self-report assessment designed specifically to identify
    depression in the elderly.

    • Developed in 1982 by J. A. Yesavitch, et al.,

    • Answered as yes or no – simpler than scales

    • One point is assigned to each answer and corresponds to a scoring grid.

    • However, a diagnosis should not be made on the GDS results alone.

    04-11-2016 2
    Purpose
    • Depression
    • common in late life,
    • not a natural part of aging,
    • often reversible with prompt recognition and appropriate treatment

    • Older Age – Highest suicide rate of any group


    • Many medical problems common to older people may be related to, or
    intensified by, a depressive disorder.
    • Not found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM-
    IV-TR ) But is widely recommended for clinical use
    • Increasingly being used in research on depression in the elderly.

    04-11-2016 3
    VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY
    • Yesavitch,et al., chose 100 statements that related to seven common
    characteristics of depression in later life.
    • Somatic concern
    • lowered affect
    • cognitive impairment
    • impaired motivation
    • lack of future orientation
    • lack of self-esteem
    • feelings of discrimination

    • The best 30 items were selected

    04-11-2016 4
    Contd.,
    • The test was 84% sensitive and 95% specific for a depression
    diagnosis.

    • In a validation study comparing the Long and Short Forms of the GDS,
    both were successful in differentiating depressed from non-depressed
    adults with a high correlation (r =0.84, p < .001)

    • For Tamil format the sensitivity and specificity is 80% and 47.6%,
    respectively.

    04-11-2016 5
    STRENGTHS
    • Screening tool in the clinical setting

    • Baseline measurements can be compared to subsequent scores.


    LIMITATIONS
    • Not a substitute for a diagnostic interview by mental health
    professionals.

    • It does not assess for suicidal tendency.

    04-11-2016 6
    Results
    • A scoring grid accompanies the GDS.
    For eg., "Are you basically satisfied with your life?"
    Ans- if "no" the negative one point is scored, if "yes," then no point is scored.

    • A score of
    • 0–9 normal
    • 10–19 mild depression
    • > 20 severe depression

    • The maximum number of points that can be scored is 30.

    04-11-2016 7
    GDS – SHORT VERSION
    • A short version - containing 15 questions was developed in 1986.
    • Questions with highest correlation to depressive symptoms
    • More easier - physically ill and mildly to moderately demented
    patients.
    • 5 to 7 minutes to complete(short attention spans and/or feel easily
    fatigued)
    • Of the 15 items, 10 items when answered positively indicated the
    presence of depression,
    • while the rest (question numbers 1, 5, 7, 11, 13) indicated depression
    when answered negatively
    04-11-2016 8
    04-11-2016 9
    04-11-2016 10
    04-11-2016 11
    04-11-2016 12
    04-11-2016 13
    04-11-2016 14
    Newer Things
    Android and iOS app available

    • Short forms - automatically calculate the results.


    • No interpretation of results
    • Patients with scores higher than 5 should be interviewed carefully

    Testing Page – on screen view, results are copied down into records.

    • No interpretation – positive points highlighted for clinical follow-up

    04-11-2016 15
    THANK YOU

    04-11-2016 16

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