Diagnostic accuracy and feasibility of depression screening in spinal cord injury: A systematic review

Individuals with spinal cord injury are more likely to experience depression, which can negatively impact their health outcomes. Identifying depression in this population is difficult because the symptoms of depression can overlap with symptoms caused by the injury itself. This systematic review examined several established depression screening tools to determine how accurately they can identify depression in adults with spinal cord injuries, compared to a clinical assessment by a professional. The review also looked at how practical each screening tool is to use in a clinical setting, considering factors like how long it takes to administer, how easy it is to score, and whether there is a cost associated with using the tool.

• 1
  The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) demonstrated the highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (84%) compared to other screening tools, indicating its accuracy in identifying individuals with and without depression.
• 2
  The PHQ-2, a shorter 2-item version of the PHQ-9, was among the briefest tools available, while most of the assessed screening tools were accessible without incurring any costs.
• 3
  Risk of bias was rated as low or unclear for all studies, and applicability of the results was rated as low concern, using the QUADAS-2 tool.