Measures and symptoms of depression in palliative care patients

Symptoms of depression are commonly reported in palliative care patients. Few studies have compared simple screens with detailed screening instruments. The aim of this study was to compare a simple VAS with two 30-item scales. Eighty-four patients with advanced cancer attending outpatient clinics were assessed for symptoms of depression using the single item visual analogue scale from the Anderson Symptom Assessment System (self-report), the Geriatric Depression Scale (self-report) and the Geriatric Depression Scale-Collateral Source (carer report about patient). There was no correlation between patients' ratings of the severity of their own depression symptoms and carers' reports of the number of symptoms of depression shown by the patient. There were, however, correlations between carers' and patients' reports of the number of symptoms of depression shown by the patient, and between the patient's rating of the severity of their own depression symptoms and their report on the number of their symptoms of depression. In addition, the symptoms of depression most commonly reported by self-report and carer-report were identified. All three measures provided unique information.