Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2019
Abstract
Although the Patient Health Questionnaire 2 (PHQ-2) is frequently used to screen for depressive disorders in primary care patients, there is little information about its psychometric properties in diverse populations. The present study evaluated the positive predictive value (PPV) of the PHQ-2 in three groups of primary care patients at a federally qualified health center (78% female, M age = 42.73 years, range 18–78): Spanish-speaking Latinxs (n = 490), English-speaking Latinxs (n = 134), and non-Latinx Whites (n = 690). Universal screening with the PHQ-2 of consecutive adult primary care patients took place during a 5-month period. Any “yes” response to the 2 items on the PHQ-2 resulted in the administration of the full PHQ-9. Scores ≥10 on the PHQ-9 were used to index probable major depressive disorder. Data for this study were extracted from patient electronic medical records. Binary logistic regressions indicated the PPV of the PHQ-2 overall was 69.1%. PPVs were highest in English-speaking Latinx patients (73.1%) and non-Latinx White patients (72.8%), and significantly lower in the Spanish-speaking Latinx patient group (62.9%). Discrepancies in PPVs remained even after controlling for demographic variables (age, gender, uninsured). The PHQ-2 had a 35% greater false discovery rate in Latinxs who are less acculturated, as indexed by self-reported preferred language, but performs comparably in acculturated Latinx and non-Latinx White groups. The PHQ-2 may overidentify mood disorders in Spanish-speaking primary care patients.
Recommended Citation
Bridges, A. J., Dueweke, A. R., Anastasia, E. A., & Hernandez Rodriguez, J. (2019). The positive predictive value of the PHQ-2 as a screener for depression in Spanish-Speaking Latinx, English-speaking Latinx, and non-Latinx White primary care patients. Journal of Latinx Psychology, 7(3), 184–194. https://doi.org/10.1037/lat0000114
Publication Title
Journal of Latinx Psychology
DOI
10.1037/lat0000114
Comments
© 2018, American Psychological Association. This manuscript is not the copy of record and may not exactly replicate the final, authoritative version of the article. Please do not copy or cite without authors’ permission. The final version of record is available via its DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/lat0000114 This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly.