Depression and anxiety screening for adolescents with type 1 diabetes: A quality improvement project

Objectives: Symptoms of anxiety and depression are more common in adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) than in their peers without diabetes, and annual screening for psychological comorbidities is recommended in these patients. We aimed to pilot a screening protocol for symptoms of depression and anxiety in an adolescent T1D clinic to (i) establish the baseline prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms and (ii) determine the feasibility and acceptability of the screening process. Material and Methods: Adolescents with T1D aged 14–18 years who were not currently accessing psychological services were screened using the patient health questionnaire-9 and generalized anxiety disorder-7 assessment. Patients reporting mild-severe symptoms of anxiety and/or depression were referred for further assessment and referral to psychological services, if appropriate. Results: 20% of patients were already engaged with mental health services and so were not screened. Of the remaining patients, 29% reported experiencing mild-severe depressive symptoms, and 18% reported experiencing mild-severe anxious symptoms. Furthermore, the use of these screening tools identified one patient in need of urgent intervention, who was taken to the hospital emergency department. Conclusion: Our results highlight the importance of regular mental health screening using validated tools to capture all the patients who may benefit from referral to psychological services.