Comparing Various Short-Form Geriatric Depression Scales Leads to the GDS-5/15

Purpose: To compare three published short GDS scales and to identify a valid and reliable short‐form alternative to the 15‐item Geriatric Depression Scale. Design: Comparative validation study via retrospective chart review of 816 acute care patients in an 830‐bed academic medical center in the USA in 2001. Methods: Data of the 15‐item Geriatric Depression Scale, the Mini‐Mental State Examination, and demographic data were extracted from medical records after patient discharge. Three scales: the D'Ath GDS‐4, van Marwijk GDS‐4, and Hoyl GDS‐5, were compared to the 15‐item Geriatric Depression Scale. Results: The Hoyl 5‐item version showed the highest sensitivity (97.9%). Concern for GDS‐5 false positives when compared to the 15‐item GDS (specificity 72.7%) led to re‐ordering the 15 GDS items into a new two‐tiered instrument, the GDS‐5/15. In this study of 816 older adult inpatients, 60% were screened as “not depressed” using the first 5 items on the GDS‐5/15, leaving 40% for continued screening and completion of all 15 GDS items. Conclusions: A shorter screening tool might encourage more providers to add depression screening to routine health care visits. The GDS‐5/15 is an alternative screening tool.