Abstract
Purpose. Investigations were conducted on whether screening for adolescent depression was feasible and acceptable to patients in low-income, urban, predominantly Latino clinics. Further investigations were undertaken for provider acceptance of such screening. Methods. Adolescents aged between 13 and 20 years presenting to 3 pediatric and adolescent primary care practices affiliated with an academic medical center in New York City were screened for depressive symptoms using the Columbia Depression Scale. Providers were surveyed pre- and postimplementation of the screening regarding their attitudes and practices. Results. The vast majority (92%) of those approached accepted the screening. Twelve percent of those screened were referred for mental health treatment. Providers reported satisfaction with the screening tool and a desire to continue to use it. Screening was limited to 24% of eligible participants, and only 10% of screens were at sick visits. Conclusions. The Columbia Depression Scale seems acceptable to adolescent providers and patients in the mostly Latino study population. It may prove to be a helpful tool in evaluating adolescents presenting to primary care for depression. Further study will be required in other Spanish-speaking and minority populations. New methods will also be required to reach a greater proportion of patients, particularly those presenting for sick visits.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 964-971 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Clinical Pediatrics |
Volume | 51 |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2012 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- adolescent
- depression
- screening
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health