Differences in older peopleʹs responses to CIDIʹs depression screening and diagnostic questions may point to age-related bias

Background atric surveys based on the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) report very low rates of affective disorder in older people, perhaps because CIDIʹs long, convoluted screening questions present a special challenge to aged respondents. We have shown previously that inconsistencies in responses to CIDIʹs two screening questions about dysphoria and anhedonia rose in frequency with age. By contrast, responses to the short, simple K-10 and GHQ-12 mental health scales showed much less change over the lifespan. As a check on age-related bias, we now compare responses to CIDIʹs depression screening questions with responses to subsequent, simpler questions about other depressive symptoms. s ary analysis of an Australian national survey in which CIDI was administered to 10,641 adults by trained lay interviewers. s of positive responses to both CIDI screening questions fell from 11% in age-group 18–34 years to 3% in respondents aged ≥ 65 years. Responses to simpler CIDI items about other depressive symptoms and help-seeking behaviour showed much less change with age. sion respondents may deny symptoms when subjected to complex batteries of questions concerning severity, time frame, attribution and consequences. CIDI diagnoses need to be validated across the full age spectrum. tions nts of aged care facilities and those with low cognitive scores were excluded.