Nurses need to recognize that mental and physical health is equally important for patients. However, health education and promotion for emotional well-being are challenging since problems that are not visible or related to pain may be difficult for individuals to comprehend. This paper will discuss the guidelines for screening depression, one of the significant problems associated with the topic of mental health. The explanation of the screening procedures will be followed by an analysis of these directions’ limitations and strengths as well as their contribution to one’s practice.
Guidelines
Depression is a condition that can affect a person of any gender, age, race, or occupation. Nevertheless, some communities are at a higher risk of emotional health issues due to life experiences and personal problems. For example, women, pregnant women, teenagers, and people of color have higher rates of diagnosed depression (Siu & USPSTF, 2016). Other groups for consideration include unemployed, previously married, and under-educated persons as well as individuals with chronic illnesses and other mental health problems. The mentioned above factors are linked to an increased risk of depression, thus urging clinicians to screen patients from these populations with more attention.
Currently, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening all adults and children for depression, regardless of whether any risk factors are present. It is noted that such procedures should be conducted in an appropriate setting – a system that provides further testing and treatment (Schuiling & Likis, 2017). The easiest method is a series of questions about one’s mood, satisfaction, and life goals. Other tools include the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales (Siu & USPSTF, 2016). Geriatric patients, children, adolescents, and pregnant women have specific tests.
Strengths, Limitations, and Clinical Decision Making
The primary advantage of these guidelines is their explanation of why screening may be helpful for all patients regardless of their demographic characteristics and background. Moreover, the USPSTF lists risk factors for adults and children that can help clinicians to assess patients’ mental health and prevent the escalation of depression. The introduction of specific questionnaires is another benefit of the recommendations – the guides consider the particular needs of vulnerable populations. For instance, postpartum depression is an issue that is reviewed separately due to the multitude of stress factors that pregnant women encounter.
It should be noted, nevertheless, that some risk factors are not mentioned in the recommendations. For example, Steele et al. find that transgender and bisexual patients’ needs for mental health screening and treatment are unmet, which implies that these populations are excluded from the system of healthcare. The lack of recognition of special requirements for the treatment of LGBTQ patients is a limitation of the discussed guides.
In practice, the recommendations help nurses to remember that mental health is an integral part of people’s well-being, thus urging health providers to discuss these concerns with patients. Risk factors listed in the guidelines can assist a nurse in deciding whether depression is a problem that has to be addressed urgently. For instance, the USPSTF highlights the concerns of pregnant women (Tharpe, Farley, & Jordan, 2017). A clinician working with patients from this population can use this information to assess related depression signs.
Conclusion
The current recommendations for depression screening outline the need to talk about mental health with all patients. The USPSTF’s guidelines include different populations and list many risk factors that increase the possibility of depression development. While the guides contain vital information about tests and appropriate settings, they fail to consider some risk groups, especially bisexual and transgender patients. Nonetheless, these recommendations are helpful for healthcare providers since they offer a plan for depression screening in many situations.
References
Schuiling, K. D., & Likis, F. E. (2017). Women’s gynecologic health (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Siu, A. L., and the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). (2016). Screening for depression in adults: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA, 315(4), 380-387.
Steele, L. S., Daley, A., Curling, D., Gibson, M. F., Green, D. C., Williams, C. C., & Ross, L. E. (2017). LGBT identity, untreated depression, and unmet need for mental health services by sexual minority women and trans-identified people. Journal of Women’s Health, 26(2), 116-127.
Tharpe, N. L., Farley, C., & Jordan, R. G. (2017). Clinical practice guidelines for midwifery & women’s health (5th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.