The Profile of Mood States as a Screening Test for Major Depression in HIV+ Patients

Abstract

Major Depression is a common, potentially treatable disorder among people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). An accurate screening test would allow primary care professionals to identify patients who need psychiatric evaluation and possible treatment. Subjects were 100 HIV+ volunteers evaluated at entry into a longitudinal neurologic study. Subjects were not selected for the presence or absence of psychiatric or neurologic symptoms. The Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) was the “gold standard” for the diagnosis of current Major Depression. Our screening test was the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Logistic regression, followed by calculations of sensitivities and specificities, was used to determine the best use of the screening test. One third of the subjects met criteria for current Major Depression. The POMS Depression-Dejection Scale was a useful screening test with a cutoff score of ≥7. This cutoff correctly classified 92% of subjects with and 67% of subjects without current Major Depression.