Assessment tools for screening and monitoring bipolar disorder

Objective: To review the availability and suitability of tools for screening, diagnosing, and monitoring people with bipolar disorder in both psychiatric and general practice. Methods: Currently available assessment tools suitable for use with patients with bipolar disorder were identified through a MEDLINE search using the following key terms: bipolar, screening, diagnosis, monitoring. Only peer-reviewed papers published in English were considered for further review. Results: A review of the current literature revealed a small number of published and appropriately validated clinical tools suitable for the assessment of bipolar disorder in terms of screening, diagnosis, and long-term monitoring. Conclusions: While there are a large number of formal rating scales for the assessment of various clinical aspects of bipolar spectrum disorders, there are currently only a limited number of assessment tools well suited for use in routine clinical practice. Widespread use of brief, clinically validated, and easy to use screening tools could facilitate the early identification of patients with bipolar spectrum disorders. A less structured diagnostic approach should facilitate diagnosis of the more subtle forms of the disease, particularly bipolar II disorder. Long-term monitoring tools should strengthen the therapeutic alliance between the patient and clinician and improve long-term quality of care and assessment of outcomes.