Family Practice Vol. 16, No. 6, 591-595
© Oxford University Press 1999
Screening for depression in African-Caribbean elders
Clinical Lecturer in Primary Care, Department of Primary Care & Population Sciences, 2nd Floor Archway Wing, University College London and Royal Free Medical Schools, Whittington Hospital, Highgate Hill, London N19 5NF,
a University of Manchester,
b Manchester Royal Infirmary and
c Institute of Psychiatry.
Background. There are increasing numbers of older African-Caribbeans in the UK. Primary care staff often feel less confident about diagnosing depression in this group. Screening instruments may assist in making diagnoses in cross-cultural consultations.
Objective. We aimed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of screening instruments for depression in older African-Caribbean people in Manchester, UK.
Methods. We carried out a two-stage study to compare three screening instruments for depression (Geriatric Depression Scale, Brief Assessment Schedule Depression Cards, Caribbean Culture Specific Screen), with a computerized diagnostic interview for mental health disorders in older adults (Geriatric Mental State). The study was set in inner-city Manchester. The subjects were community-resident African-Caribbeans aged 60 years and over; 227 subjects were approached. Of the 160 people screened, 130 agreed to diagnostic interview. The main outcome measures were Spearman correlation coefficients; these were calculated between each screening instrument and the diagnostic interview. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine appropriate sensitivity and specificity for each instrument.
Results. The results for the largest subgroup, the Jamaicans (n = 96/130), demonstrated highly significant correlations between screening instruments and diagnostic interview (P < 0.001). Each instrument had a high sensitivity: Brief Assessment Schedule depression cards (cut-off 
6; sensitivity 90.9% (95% CI 58.8–99.8), specificity 82.1% (95% CI 74.0–90.3)), Caribbean Culture Specific Screen (cut-off 6; sensitivity 90.9% (95% CI 58.8–99.8), specificity 74.1% (95% CI 64.8–83.4)), and Geriatric Depression Scale (cut-off 4; sensitivity 100% (95% CI 97.1–100), specificity 69.1% (95% CI 59.6–79.2)).
Conclusions. These screening instruments demonstrate high sensitivity levels, if an appropriate cut-off point is used. The culture-specific instrument did not perform better than the traditional instruments. Health professionals should approach the consultation in a culturally sensitive manner and use the validated instrument they are most familiar with.
Keywords. Depression, ethnicity, screening..
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