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Table 4 Sensitivity and specificity of each screening instrument using a broadened definition of depression*

From: A study of the diagnostic accuracy of the PHQ-9 in primary care elderly

Instrument and Cutpoint

Sensitivity (%)

(95% CI)

Specificity (%)

(95% CI)

+ Likelihood Ratio

- Likelihood Ratio

PHQ-9 Cutpoint

    

≥6

77

69

2.5

0.34

 

(56-90)

(63-74)

  

≥7

77

77

3.3

0.31

 

(56-90)

(70-81)

  

≥8

77

83

4.4

0.28

 

(57-89)

(76-87)

  

≥9

71

87

5.2

0.34

 

(51-85)

(80-91)

  

≥10

59

89

5.1

0.47

 

(40-74)

(82-93)

  

PHQ-2 Cutpoint

    

≥1

82

67

2.5

0.26

 

(62-94)

(61-71)

  

≥2

71

73

2.6

0.40

 

(50-86)

(66-78)

  

≥3

53

90

5.5

0.52

 

(35-67)

(85-95)

  

≥4

35

98

18.4

0.66

 

(21-40)

(94-100)

  

≥5

18

98

9.2

0.84

 

(7-22)

(95-100)

  

15-item GDS Cutpoint

    

≥4

94

4

0.98

1.63

 

(85-99)

(1-5)

  

≥5

88

14

1.0

0.93

 

(71-96)

(8-16)

  

≥6

81

62

2.1

0.30

 

(60-93)

(55-65)

  

≥7

56

79

2.7

0.55

 

(36-74)

(73-84)

  

≥8

31

90

3.3

0.76

 

(16-46)

(86-95)

  
  1. * Bolded cutpoints indicate the optimum balance between sensitivity and specificity.
  2. ‡ CI = confidence interval.