Depression screening: What you need to know

Approximately 12% of patients seen by a PCP have major depression, according to NIH. However, recognizing these patients can be challenging, due to the variety of other conditions that may be present and have similar symptoms. In addition, depression is often associated with other disorders, can be comorbid with substance abuse, heart disease, diabetes and other illness.

Oct. 6 is National Depression Screening Day, when health officials across the United States stress the importance of identifying and recognizing mental health issues. Below is a collection of the latest research and news on depression screening and comorbidities. Here’s what you need to know:

Major depression treatment reduces risk for death among older adults with diabetes

Mental health treatment resulted in a statistically significant effect on mortality for diabetes among older patients with major depression, highlighting the need for better communication between mental health and primary care. Read more.

Depression screening may benefit older adults with asthma

Older adults with asthma and depression are more likely to visit an ED or urgent care center. According to the researchers, the findings indicate that older adults with asthma should be screened for depression. Read More.

Adolescent males, females with eating disorders display differences in depression

A significantly higher percentage of adolescent males with eating disorders had comorbid depression compared with adolescent females with eating disorders. The researchers found that patients with comorbid depression had a significantly higher BMI than those without depression. In addition, those with a history of psychiatric inpatient hospitalization had a significantly longer eating disorder preclinical illness. Read more.

Depression, somatization linked to postprandial symptoms in IBS patients

Psychosocial morbidities are linked to higher levels of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, and specifically, depression and somatization are linked to increased postprandial symptoms, according to recent research. Read more.

Adults with HIV, depression at elevated risk for MI

Among adults with HIV, those with major depressive disorder had increased risk for MI compared with those without depression, according to new data. Read more.

PTSD worsens symptoms in patients with depression

Among patients with depression, a diagnosis of coexisting PTSD was associated with worse depression symptoms when managed in collaborative care management in primary care. Read more.