A study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders examined whether the eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) measures depression the same way for people with and without chronic pain. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 32,000 US adults in the 2019 National Health Interview Survey.
They used data science methods to test measurement invariance, which checks for bias in a questionnaire. The analysis found consistent PHQ-8 scores across groups, addressing a long-standing concern that pain-related symptoms might inflate depression scores.
The lead author, Jennifer S. De La Rosa, said clinicians can trust a positive screen in patients with chronic pain and should offer mental health support sensitively. Earlier work shows one in five people with chronic pain have depression, and many people with significant depression symptoms also report chronic pain.
Difficult words
- depression — a mental health condition with low mooddepression scores
- chronic — continuing a long time, not short-livedchronic pain
- measurement invariance — a statistical test for bias in questionnaires
- bias — an unfair influence on results or judgment
- inflate — to make something seem larger or higher
- clinician — a doctor or health professional who treats patientsclinicians
- screen — a brief test to check for a health problem
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think clinicians should offer mental health support to patients with chronic pain? Why or why not?
- What should clinicians do after a positive screen in a patient with chronic pain?
- Why is it important to test questionnaires for bias between different groups?
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