The Risk of Depression and Anxiety in the Post-diagnostic Period of Multiple Sclerosis Measured by Screening Instruments and Structured Interviews

ObjectiveTo examine the risk of depression and anxiety in MS patients in the post-diagnostic period by using clinical screening instruments and a diagnostic structured clinical interview.MethodA population of 134 MS patients was examined for the risk of depression and anxiety in the post-diagnostic period of MS using the clinical screening instruments Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Within six weeks of diagnosis, patients with cut-off > 12 for BDI and > 7 for HADS were offered a clinical structured interview using the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry/SCAN Version 2.1.ResultsThe prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression in the post-diagnostic period of MS was 49.2% when using the screening instruments, but only 15.2% when using the SCAN interview. For anxiety, the prevalence was 3.4% for both the screening instruments and the SCAN interview in the post-diagnostic period of MS.ConclusionMS patients have a risk of depression and anxiety in the post-diagnostic period of MS, but it is crucial to consider which tools to use in a clinical setting to investigate depression and anxiety in MS patients.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.