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Systematic Reviews
Published in: Systematic Reviews 1/2024

Open Access 01-12-2024 | Mood Disorders | Systematic review update

Screening for depression in children and adolescents in primary care or non-mental health settings: a systematic review update

Authors: Andrew Beck, Nicole Dryburgh, Alexandria Bennett, Nicole Shaver, Leila Esmaeilisaraji, Becky Skidmore, Scott Patten, Heather Bragg, Ian Colman, Gary S. Goldfield, Stuart Gordon Nicholls, Kathleen Pajer, Robert Meeder, Priya Vasa, Beverley J. Shea, Melissa Brouwers, Julian Little, David Moher

Published in: Systematic Reviews | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Background

The transition from childhood to adolescence is associated with an increase in rates of some psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder, a debilitating mood disorder. The aim of this systematic review is to update the evidence on the benefits and harms of screening for depression in primary care and non-mental health clinic settings among children and adolescents.

Methods

This review is an update of a previous systematic review, for which the last search was conducted in 2017. We searched Ovid MEDLINE® ALL, Embase Classic+Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and CINAHL on November 4, 2019, and updated on February 19, 2021. If no randomized controlled trials were found, we planned to conduct an additional search for non-randomized trials with a comparator group. For non-randomized trials, we applied a non-randomized controlled trial filter and searched the same databases except for Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from January 2015 to February 2021. We also conducted a targeted search of the gray literature for unpublished documents. Title and abstract, and full-text screening were completed independently by pairs of reviewers.

Results

In this review update, we were unable to find any randomized controlled studies that satisfied our eligibility criteria and evaluated the potential benefits and harms of screening for depression in children and adolescents. Additionally, a search for non-randomized trials yielded no studies that met the inclusion criteria.

Conclusions

The findings of this review indicate a lack of available evidence regarding the potential benefits and harms of screening for depression in children and adolescents. This absence of evidence emphasizes the necessity for well-conducted clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of depression screening among children and adolescents in primary care and non-mental health clinic settings.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO CRD42020150373.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
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Metadata
Title
Screening for depression in children and adolescents in primary care or non-mental health settings: a systematic review update
Authors
Andrew Beck
Nicole Dryburgh
Alexandria Bennett
Nicole Shaver
Leila Esmaeilisaraji
Becky Skidmore
Scott Patten
Heather Bragg
Ian Colman
Gary S. Goldfield
Stuart Gordon Nicholls
Kathleen Pajer
Robert Meeder
Priya Vasa
Beverley J. Shea
Melissa Brouwers
Julian Little
David Moher
Publication date
01-12-2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Systematic Reviews / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 2046-4053
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-023-02447-3

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