Common Mental Disorders Depression - New Zealand Doctor
Common Mental Disorders Depression - New Zealand Doctor
Common Mental Disorders Depression - New Zealand Doctor
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Chapter 3 Recognition and assessment of common mental disorders in young people/rangatahi/tamariki<br />
3.2 Screening young people/rangatahi/<br />
tamariki for common mental disorders<br />
There is ongoing debate about the merits of screening for common mental disorders<br />
among young people/rangatahi/tamariki in primary health care or educational settings.<br />
Evidence was sought on screening young people/rangatahi/tamariki in an educational<br />
or primary care setting. Screening in this context refers to routine use of a tool, over and<br />
above customary clinical assessment. Two systematic reviews were identified, but neither<br />
found any randomised controlled trials to determine whether screening for mental<br />
disorders improves either identification rates or outcomes for young people. 66,176<br />
However, a further two systematic reviews evaluated the role of routine screening in<br />
educational settings for depressive disorders 177 and/or anxiety disorders, 178 or elevated<br />
symptoms of depression 177 and/or anxiety 178 with targeted psychological intervention<br />
in those testing positive on screening. One reported a clinically meaningful reduction<br />
in depression scores (mean effect size 0.55) and calculated that thirty-one students<br />
would need to be screened (and, if necessary, treated) in order to successfully treat<br />
one case of depression. 177 The other systematic review reported positive results from<br />
a number of school programmes targeting depression and anxiety. 178 There was very<br />
little evidence about long-term effectiveness and none about potential negative effects.<br />
There was evidence that screening for mental disorders in a student population is<br />
feasible 179 and that asking about suicidal behaviour in an educational setting does<br />
not appear harmful. 180 There was insufficient good-quality evidence to evaluate the<br />
feasibility of screening in a primary health care setting. 181,182<br />
Screening young people/rangatahi/tamariki:<br />
issues for evidence-based practice<br />
Given the lack of evidence on the long-term and/or adverse effects of screening with<br />
early intervention for young people/rangatahi/tamariki with mental disorders, routine<br />
use of a screening tool is not recommended in any setting at present. However, there<br />
is sufficient evidence to support further research on the benefits and risks of routinely<br />
screening young people/rangatahi/tamariki in an educational setting for common mental<br />
disorders in conjunction with early psychological intervention in those screening positive.<br />
Identification of <strong>Common</strong> <strong>Mental</strong> <strong>Disorders</strong> and Management of <strong>Depression</strong> in Primary Care 25