The British Journal of Psychiatry (2009) 194: 399-403. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.107.046052
© 2009 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Screening for depression in high-risk groups: prospective cohort study in general practice

Kim D. Baas, MSc

Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam

Karin A. Wittkampf, MD

Department of Psychiatry and Department of General Practice, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam

Henk C. van Weert, MD, PhD

Department of General Practice, Academic Medical Center, University Amsterdam

Peter Lucassen, MD, PhD

Department of General Practice, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen

Jochanan Huyser, MD, PhD

Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam

Henk van den Hoogen and Eloy van de Lisdonk, MD, PhD

Department of General Practice, Radboud University Nijmegen

Patrick E. Bindels, MD, PhD

Department of General Practice, Academic Medical Center, University Amsterdam

Claudi L. Bockting, PhD

Department of General Practice, Academic Medical Center, University Amsterdam

Henricus G. Ruhé, MD, PhD and Aart H. Schene, MD, PhD

Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Correspondence: Aart H. Schene, Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, (Room PA1-132), Meibergdreef 5 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Email: a.h.schene{at}amc.uva.nl

Declaration of interest

None.

Funding

This study was financed by a grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), programme Mental Health (no. 100.003.005 and 100.002.021).

Background

Currently only about half of the people who have major depressive disorder are detected during regular health care. Screening in high-risk groups might be a possible solution.

Aims

To evaluate the effectiveness of selective screening for major depressive disorder in three high-risk groups in primary care: people with mental health problems, people with unexplained somatic complaints and people who frequently attend their general practitioner.

Method

Prospective cohort study among 2005 people in high-risk groups in three health centres in The Netherlands.

Results

Of the 2005 people identified, 1687 were invited for screening and of these 780 participated. Screening disclosed 71 people with major depressive disorder: 36 (50.7%) already received treatment, 14 (19.7%) refused treatment and 4 individuals did not show up for an appointment. As a final result of the screening, 17 individuals (1% of 1687) started treatment for major depressive disorder.

Conclusions

Screening for depression in high-risk populations does not seem to be effective, mainly because of the low rates of treatment initiation, even if treatment is freely and easily accessible.


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