Week 15 - Introducing depression

Question 1

What is meant by the term years lived with disability?

Answer 1

It is a measure of the burden of a condition calculated from its prevalence and the extent of loss of health associated with the condition

Question 2

Poor mental health at work is estimated to cost the UK economy how much per year?

Answer 2

Between £74 to £99 billion per year

Question 3

What is meant by the term variance?

Answer 3

A measure of the spread or distribution of numbers in a data set

Question 4

What is meant by the term parametric test?

Answer 4

A statistical test used to analyse data sets that meet certain assumptions, including the assumption that the data sets have normal distributions

Question 5

What is meant by the term non-parametric test?

Answer 5

It is a statistical test used to analyse data sets that do not meet certain assumptions, including the assumption that the data sets have normal distributions

Question 6

What is meant by the term t-test?

Answer 6

It is a statistical test that looks at the degree of overlap of two data sets and gives a value t. The lower the t value, the greater the overlap in the datasets

Question 7

Does a low t value indicate that the two datasets being examined will have a greater or lesser degree of overlap?

Answer 7

The lower the t value, the greater the overlap

Question 8

Does a high t value indicate that the two datasets being examined will have a greater or lesser degree of overlap?

Answer 8

The higher the t value, the lower the overlap

Question 9

What are the two most common mental health conditions?

Answer 9

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression

Question 10

Which condition is most often co-morbid with depression?

Answer 10

Generalised anxiety disorder

Question 11

What might be the consequence of overlapping symptoms for diagnosing depression or anxiety?

Answer 11

Overlapping symptoms may make providing a specific diagnosis more challenging because symptoms could indicate either condition

Question 12

Which chronic physical conditions are most commonly co-morbid with depression?

Answer 12

• Asthma
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• High blood pressure

Question 13

What is meant by the term affective condition?

Answer 13

A set of psychiatric conditions that includes depression and bipolar disorder (also called mood conditions)

Question 14

What is meant by the term emotional conditions?

Answer 14

A set of psychiatric conditions that includes mood conditions and anxiety

Question 15

What is meant by the term major depressive disorder?

Answer 15

Depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in all activities over a period of at least two weeks

Question 16

What is meant by the term dysthymia?

Answer 16

Milder than major depression; characterised by depressed mood that occurs for most of the day for more days than not for at least two years

Question 17

What is meant by the term psychotic depression?

Answer 17

It is when a depressive condition is accompanied by some form of psychosis

Question 18

What is meant by the term postpartum depression?

Answer 18

Depression that begins within one month after delivery of a baby

Question 19

What is meant by the term substance/medication induced depressive disorder?

Answer 19

Depressive disorder associated with inhalation, ingestion or injection of a substance

Question 20

What is meant by the term seasonal affective disorder (SAD)?

Answer 20

The onset of a depressive condition during the winter months when there is less sunlight

Question 21

What is meant by the term bipolar type 1?

Answer 21

Episodes of mania often preceded or followed by episodes of hypomania or major depression. Mania is a distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive or irritable mood and impaired judgement

Question 22

What is meant by the term bipolar type 2?

Answer 22

Recurring episodes of major depression and hypomania (a milder form of mania)

Question 23

What are the four categories of symptoms which are used for the diagnosis of affective conditions?

Answer 23

• Mood/emotional symptoms, eg feeling sad
• Motivational symptoms, such as difficulty making decisions
• Cognitive symptoms involving thoughts linked to worry or pessimism
• Physical symptoms such as bodily aches or tiredness

Question 24

What are the two primary symptoms as listed in the DSM-V used as diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder?

Answer 24

• Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day
• Diminished interest in almost all activities most of the day, nearly every day (anhedonia)

Question 25

What are the seven secondary symptoms as listed in the DSM-V used as diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder?

Answer 25

• Significant weight loss not related to dieting
• Insomnia or oversleeping
• Restlessness or lethargy
• Fatigue
• Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• Thoughts of death or suicide, or attempts at suicide

Question 26

What is meant by the terms reliability and validity?

Answer 26

• Reliability: the accuracy of a measurement and whether it is likely to be replicated by different people or on different occasions
• Validity: the ability of a test or tool to measure what it is intended to measure

Question 27

What two types of misdiagnosis can poor diagnostic validity lead to?

Answer 27

• A false positive diagnosis, where a person is diagnosed with a condition incorrectly
• A false negative diagnosis, where a mental health condition is not diagnosed or is misdiagnosed as another condition

Question 28

What are three examples of factors which may affect the reliability and validity of diagnostic criteria?

Answer 28

• Age
• Sex
• Culture

Question 29

Why might it be useful to assess the severity of a person’s depression?

Answer 29

To inform treatment options, assess the severity over time and determine the effectiveness of a particular intervention