Abstract 20411: Depression Screening and Case-Finding Tools in Heart Failure: Timing Matters

Depression in HF is associated with noncompliance to treatment recommendations, reduced health status and quality of life, and increased hospital readmission and mortality. Early and accurate screening and case-finding for depression in HF patient is critical. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of common depression screening tools in HF patients in both acute or outpatient setting. Methods: At hospital admission, 118 veterans (99% male, 68 ± 10 years) were evaluated for clinical depression; 96 were tested again at 6 months. At both times, 3 screening tools (Beck Depression Inventory [BCI], Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ]-2, and PHQ-9) were completed. Clinical depression was measured by the Diagnostic Interview Structured Hamilton (DISH) administered by trained nurses. Performance of each tool was evaluated with receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis and calculation of sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value (PPV). Results: In hospital and 6 months later...