The development of the visual screening tool for anxiety disorders and depression: Addressing barriers to screening for depression and anxiety disorders in hypertension and/or diabetes

Abstract

BackgroundThere is a lack of screening tools for common mental disorders that can be applied across cultures, languages and levels of education in people with diabetes and hypertension.AimTo develop a visual screening tool for depression and anxiety disorders that is applicable across cultures and levels of education.SettingParticipants were purposively recruited from two not-for-profit organisations and two public health facilities – a maternal mental health unit and a primary health care centre.MethodThis was a qualitative cross-sectional study. Thirteen drawings based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale depicting symptoms of anxiety disorders and depression were drawn. Participants described emotions and thoughts depicted in the drawings. Data were analysed through content analysis.ResultsThirty-one women (66%) and 16 men (34%) participated in the development of the visual screening tool. The mean age was 34 (standard deviation [SD] 12.46). There were 32 (68%) black participants, 11 (23%) mixed race participants and 4 (9%) white participants. Two participants (4%) had no schooling, 14 (31%) primary schooling, 8 (18%) senior schooling, 13 (29%) matric qualification and 8 (18%) had post-matric qualification. Participants correctly described 10 out of the 13 visual depiction of symptoms as associated with depression and anxiety disorders, with no differences between levels of education and cultural groups.ConclusionTen drawings were appropriate for inclusion in the visual screening tool for anxiety disorders and depression (VISTAD). The VISTAD will be validated against the mini international neuropsychiatric interview (MINI) in a primary care population with hypertension and/or diabetes.

The validation of the visual screening tool for anxiety disorders and depression in hypertension and/or diabetes

“… 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 The development of the VISTAD is discussed in detail in Ogle, Koen and Niehaus. 23 In the VISTAD, a score of 1 is allocated when a participant endorses an abnormal state drawing and 0 when none of the abnormal state symptoms are endorsed. The maximum score that could be obtained on the VISTAD is 10.…”