Center for epidemiologic studies depression scale (CES-D) as a screening instrument for depression among community-residing older adults

The efficacy of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) as a screener for clinical depression was examined in a sample of 1,005 community-residing adults (age range=50-96). Presence of a depressive disorder was determined by diagnostic interview. Analyses revealed that neither age, gender, cognitive impairment, functional impairment, physical disease, nor social desirability had a significant negative effect on the psychometric properties or screening efficacy of the CES-D. These results indicate that there was no significant degradation in the ability of the CES-D to screen for depression among community-residing elderly adults. This conclusion must be tempered by the fact that the sample did not include participants with the more disabling forms of cognitive or functional impairment and physical illness.