This study presents cross-sectional and longitudinal data on depression diagnoses made with six diagnostic strategies in a study group of medically ill elderly inpatients. All subjects received a structured psychiatric interview administered by a trained psychiatrist. Rates of major depression varied considerably across diagnostic strategy, with the greatest difference occurring between the exclusive-etiologic and the inclusive approaches (10% versus 21%); the greatest spread for minor depression was found between the etiologic and inclusive schemes (14% versus 25%). Even when severity of impairment
is taken into account, rates of depression continue to differ considerably across diagnostic strategies (9%–17% for major depression and 9%–14% for minor depression, calculated from table 2).