RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Prevalence of Depression Symptoms in Outpatients with a Complaint of Headache
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 633
OP 637
DO 10.3122/jabfm.2009.06.070098
VO 22
IS 6
A1 Robert A. Marlow
A1 Cynthia L. Kegowicz
A1 Kimberly N. Starkey
YR 2009
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/22/6/633.abstract
AB Purpose: This case-control study was designed to determine whether adults who present to a primary care office with a chief complaint of headache have more reported symptoms of depression than adults presenting with other problems.Methods: Adult, English-speaking patients who presented to a primary care office with a chief complaint of headache were matched to adult patients of the same age and sex who presented with problems other than headache. All participants completed the PRIME-MD 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire as a screen for depression.Results: A total of 200 participants entered the study. The mean age of the participants was 43.8 years (range, 18–87 years). Women constituted 84% of the participants. Of those patients who presented with headache, 32% had a likelihood of possible major depressive disorder compared with 12% in the patients presenting without headache.Conclusions: Almost one-third of adult patients who present to a primary care office with a complaint of headache report moderate symptoms of depression when screened compared with approximately 10% of patients presenting with a complaint other than headache. Given such a high prevalence of these symptoms, primary care physicians should screen all adult patients who present with headache for depression.