Adolescent Depression Screening

Abstract

Depression in adolescents is an acute problem that can impact all aspects of life from social, educational, mental, and physical health. Adolescent depression is linked to adverse outcomes that carry over into adulthood. The United States Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF) released new recommendations in 2016 for depression screening in the adolescent population. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement USPSTF guidelines at a local pediatric primary care clinic in southeastern, North Carolina. Education on the most recent guidelines and the PHQ-9: Modified for Teens screening tool was provided to the healthcare providers at the pediatric clinic. Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations guided the interactions with health care providers. Lewin’s three-step model directed the implementation of the PHQ-9: M at the clinic site. A three-month pre- & post-intervention retrospective review was conducted to assess the number of mental health referrals for patients age 12 to 18 years old. There were 15 (5.2%) patients referred to mental health post-implementation compared to only 5 (1.9%) patients before implementation. Depression-specific screening accounted for a 3.3% increase in the identification of depression symptoms and treatment interventions initiated. A standardized approach to depression screening can significantly impact the lives of adolescents and their families through early interventions and support. Early identification can also lead to reduced health care spending.