Functional Assessment Instrument Attributes
Description:
The Depression Rating Scale (DRS) can be used as a clinical screen for depression. It is based on 7 items embedded within many interRAI instruments, and scores range from 0 to 14.
Author/Sponsor:
The DRS was developed by interRAI (a not-for-profit international research group with substantial experience in creating comprehensive assessment instruments for nursing homes, home care, acute care, assisted living, palliative care, and rehabilitation settings) to screen for depressive symptoms in a nursing home population. Because the items comprising the DRS are core items, which are present across many interRAI instruments, the DRS may be used in many sectors, for assessment of individuals with a broad range of mental and physical health needs.
Prevalence:
As stated above, because the items comprising the DRS are core items, and are present across many interRAI instruments, the DRS may be used in many sectors, for assessment of individuals with a broad range of mental and physical health needs. Specifically, the DRS is available for assessment of persons in the following sectors:
• Long-term care (MDS 2.0)
• Home care (RAI-HC)
• Inpatient mental health (interRAI-MH)
• Community mental health (interRAI-CMH)
• Palliative care (interRAI-PC)
• Community Health Assessment (interRAI-CHA)
• Intellectual Disabilities (interRAI-ID)
Population:
The DRS was developed in a nursing home population, but is available for use in many other sectors (see “Prevalence” above).
Subject:
The DRS is completed by relevant members of the interdisciplinary team involved in the care of the person being assessed.
Provider Setting:
The DRS was designed for use in a nursing home population, but is available for use in many other sectors (see “Prevalence” above).
Derived:
The DRS is based on 7 items embedded within many interRAI instruments. The seven items include:
• Sad, pained, worried facial expression
• Tearfulness
• Negative statements
• Expressions of unrealistic fears
• Repetitive anxious complaints
• Repetitive health complaints
• Persistent anger
DRS scores range from 0 to 14. It has been demonstrated that DRS scores of three or more indicate possible depression, and scores of 6 or more indicate more severe depression.
Validity and Reliability Testing:
Validation studies were based on a comparison of the DRS with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Cornell Scale for Depression. Compared to DSM-IV Major or minor depression diagnoses, the DRS was 91% sensitive and 69% specific at a cut-point score of 3.
Specific vs Multiple Domain:
The DRS assesses depressive symptoms.
Verbal or Observation based:
The DRS is completed by relevant members of the interdisciplinary team involved in the care of the person being assessed, using all available resources, including the person’s medical record, direct observation, direct questioning, and the questioning of family and friends.
Are calculated scores included:
DRS scores range from 0 to 14.
Extended use:
Is the instrument being used outside the original target population?
Versions:
Are there different versions of the tool? Sometimes the different versions have different # of questions.
Public Domain:
The DRS algorithm is in the public domain. The instruments that collect the DRS items are copyright interRAI who freely grant licences to jurisdictions.
References:
Burrows A, Morris JN, Simon S, Hirdes JP, Phillips C. (2000) Development of a Minimum Data Set-based Depression Rating Scale for Use in Nursing Homes. Age and Ageing 29(2): 165-172.
Comments:
See www.interrai.org website for other articles where depression rating scale was used.
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