ANDEIRA, D. G. S. F.; SILVA, T. M. V.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/2228985894178531; http://lattes.cnpq.br/0547092378252309; BANDEIRA, Daniel Gustavo Sabino Ferreira.; SILVA, Tércio Manoel de Vasconcelos.
Abstract:
The collection of clinical data can be difficult in the elderly. An important aspect of this
problem is the approach of depressive symptoms, especially when the elderly is
hospitalized. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is one of the most used tools to
track this type of clinical manifestation in the elderly. There is evidence indicating that
GDS can be applied in elderly patients with physical illness, but more studies are
needed to strengthen the validity of this scale among them. Within a hospital, items of
the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), whose affirmative responses indicate
depressive reactions, should indicate normality. To assess the adequacy of the GDS
with 30 items (GDS-30) in elderly hospitalized patients when compared with the
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Observational and cross-sectional
study of 50 elderly patients hospitalized in the University Hospital Lauro Wanderley
(HULW) through the application of GDS-30 and HADS. The interobserver agreement
was assessed by kappa index and the correspondences between the scales by
Pearson correlation analysis. The mean age of patients was 68.9 (± 8.2) years, 56%
male and 28% illiterate. More patients were classified with clinically significant
depressive symptomatology through the GDS (32%) than the subscale of depression
EDAH (24%) and the interrater agreement was moderate for GDS and the HADS-D
but discreet for the anxiety subscale. The kappa indexes of GDS and EDAH-D were
satisfactory, while the subscale of anxiety was not. A correlation coefficient of 0.85 (p
= 0.0001) between the GDS among examiners was found. There was satisfactory
adequacy of the GDS to elderly patients hospitalized in a public educational
institution. The correlation between scores of GDS-30 and HADS depression
subscale was moderate, but acceptable, indicating that GDS can be applied in the
hospital, since the first one is specifically indicated for hospitalized patients.
Reproducibility between GDS Examiners was high, indicating stability in the
measure.