2. • To help familiarize those working in a healthcare setting
with two different depression assessments that can be
used to evaluate patients.
3. What is the purpose of this tool?
• To detect, assess and monitor depression with
a 21 item questionnaire, that takes
approximately 5 minutes to complete.
• Each answer on the inventory is scored 0-3
with a maximum score of 63 points. Patients
with scores of 17 points or more may warrant
further clinical assessment.
4. Who is the Target Population & in what setting is
this tool used?
• This tool can be used on patients ranging from 13 years
old to 80.
• The Beck Depression Inventory can be used in a variety
of health care settings ranging from primary care to mental
health care facilities.
• Any situation in which a patient is suspected of having
depression is an appropriate setting for this assessment
to be completed.
5. What Kind of Data is Obtained?
• The data obtained through the questionnaire is
subjective as the patient choses appropriate statements
that reflect his/her thoughts, feelings , beliefs and
attitudes.
• The data is provided by the patient.
6. Who Developed this tool?
• The Tool was developed by Dr. Aaron T. Beck
in 1961.
• The assessment has had several revisions and
the current tool in use is the BDI-II, which was
developed in 1996.
7. Is this tool reliable?
• The Beck Depression Inventory is the most
extensively used assessment for detecting
depression in patients.
• Studies done show a positive correlation between
the Beck Depression Inventory and other
depression assessments that were obtained by
trained clinicians.
8. What are the limitations associated with this
assessment?
• While the BDI-II can be used in many settings this
assessment would not be appropriate for use in individuals
that meet the following criteria:
• Not alert with no cognitive impairment
• Limited cognitive ability
• Younger than 13 or older than 80
• The BDI-II suffers from the same problems that other self
reporting inventories have; you are dependent on the
information that patient choses to provide.
• There are questions about the cross cultural validity.
• The BDI-II is copyrighted and there is a fee associated with
obtaining the materials needed to complete the
assessment.
9. What are Alternatives to Accessing Depression?
• There are several other self assessments used to aide in
the detection of depression that can be used in place of
the BDI-II. One such assessment is the Patient Health
Questionnaire. This is in the public domain and is free to
use unlike the BDI-II.
• Is training Required to Use this tool?
• No training is required to use the BDI-II.
• Is the tool easy to Use?
• The Tool is simple in nature and requires minutes to
complete.
10. What is the purpose of this tool?
• To detect and monitor depression in the elderly
through the use of a 30 item self report assessment.
• The questionnaire asks “yes” or “no”
questions, which are deemed to be more appropriate
than the tradition five category responses used by the
BDI-II.
• One point is assigned to each answer and a score of
10 or higher indicates that a patient may warrant further
clinical assessment.
11. Who is the Target Population & in what setting is this
tool used?
• This tool can be used on patients 65 years of age
and older.
• The short form can be used on healthy, the mentally
ill, and mild to moderately cognitively impaired
patients.
• It is often used in community, acute and long term
settings.
12. What Kind of Data is Obtained?
• The data obtained through the questionnaire is
subjective as the patient choses yes or no in response
to questions regarding their feelings.
• The data is provided by the patient.
13. Who Developed this tool?
• The Tool was developed J.A. Yesavage is 1982.
• The short form was created in 1986.
• The Geriatric Depression Scale is used extensively
in the older population and is considered to be the
standard for assessing depression in the elderly.
14. What are the limitations associated with this
assessment?
• While the GDS can be used in many settings and
on people with varying cognitive function, the patient
must be alert and oriented in order to complete
the questionnaire.
• The GDS suffers from the same problems that
other self reporting inventories have; you are
dependent on the information that patient chooses to
provide.
• The GDS does not assess or evaluate for suicidal
thoughts or tendencies.
• The GDS is free of charge and readily available for
use.
15. What are Alternatives to Accessing Depression in the
geriatric population?
• There are several other self assessments used to
aide in the detection of depression that can be
used in place of the Geriatric Depression Scale.
One such assessment is the BD-II, however the
GDS is more specific to the aging population.
Is training Required to Use this tool?
• No training is required to use the Geriatric Depression
Scale.
Is the tool easy to Use?
• The tool is simple in nature and requires minutes to
complete.
16. How does the Beck Depression Inventory and Geriatric
Depression Scale Affect Patient Health, patient care
and nursing practice?
• Patients benefit from the use of these assessment tools
as it helps their care providers to get a better picture of the
patients overall health and will help dictate appropriate
treatment. As a result of these assessments, patients
should be better cared for and have better overall health.
• The appropriate use of these tools affects the nursing
practice as a whole as it provides nurses and other care
providers easy options to assess their patient’s mental
health status. This information will help to provide more
complete care and result in better health for the patient.
17. • Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders (2012). Beck
Depression Inventory. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://www.minddisorders.com/A-Br/Beck-Depression-
Inventory.html#b#ixzz1wrzA1IoV. [Last Accessed
6/4/2012]
• Greenberg, S. A. (2007, October). How To Try This: The
Geriatric Depression Scale: Short Form. American
Journal of Nursing, 107 (10), 60-69. Retrieved from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071624/
• Jarvis, Carolyn (2012). Physical Examination and Health
Assessment. 6th ed. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier
Saunders.
18. • Kerr, L. K. & Kerr L.D (2001, November). Screening tools
for depression in primary care. Western Journal of
Medicine, 175 (4), 349-352. Retrieved from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071624/
• Pearson Clinical Assessments (n.d). Beck Depression
Inventory II (BDI-II). Retrieved from
http://www.pearsonassessments.com/HAIWEB/Cultures/
en-us/Productdetail.htm?Pid=015-8018-370
