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USPSTF: Screen Adolescents for Depression
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends that adolescents aged 12 to 18 be screened for major depression — as long as accurate diagnosis, psychotherapy, and follow-up can be ensured. The point prevalence of major depression among teens in primary care ranges from 9% to 21%.
The new guideline, published in Pediatrics, updates the USPSTF's 2002 statement. The group notes that both the Beck Depression Inventory-Primary Care and Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents have been used successfully to screen teens.
Psychotherapy is the recommended treatment, as it has demonstrated efficacy in adolescents, and the harms "are felt to be small." (SSRIs also are efficacious, but they pose increased risk for suicidality in this age group and therefore should be considered only when "judicious clinical monitoring is possible.")
LINK(S):
USPSTF recommendation statement in Pediatrics (Free abstract; full text requires subscription)
USPSTF evidence review in Pediatrics (Free)
Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (p. 2 of PDF) (Free PDF)
Associated Press story (Free)
Published in Physician's First Watch March 31, 2009
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- Thanks and what I had done before
Ruth H. Strauss MD, 31 Mar 2009 5:14 PM EST
I actually have based questions on an intuition basis by the mood of the patient--this is an enormously helpful service... [more]
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