Task Force Recommends Routine Screening of Adolescents for Clinical Depression

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends routine screening of adolescents 12 to 18 years of age for clinical depression when systems are in place to ensure accurate diagnosis, treatment, and follow up. The Task Force found insufficient evidence to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening children 7 to 11 years of age for clinical depression. The Task Force reviewed new evidence on the benefits and harms of screening children and adolescents for clinical depression, the accuracy of screening tests administered in the primary care setting, and the benefits and risks of treating clinical depression using psychotherapy and/or medications in patients 7 and 18 years of age. The recommendations appeared in the April issue of Pediatrics. To read the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) press release and access the recommendation, visit http://www.ahrq.gov/news/press/pr2009/tfaddeppr.htm.