Sex differences in the sensitivity of two self-report depression scales in older depressed inpatients

Abstract

Both the Geriatric Depression Scale (J. A. Yesavage et al., 1983) and the Beck Depression Inventory (A. T. Beck, A. J. Rush, B. F. Shaw, & G. Emery, 1979) were less effective in identifying depressed men than women in a sample of 191 geriatric psychiatric inpatients with major unipolar depression. From one quarter to one half of the men were missed cases, depending on the cutoff score used. Separate cutoff scores for older men and women on depression screening instruments may be appropriate.