Abstract
To examine the reliability and validity of the Kessler 10 (K10) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) in a sample of injecting drug users (IDUs).
Participants were 103 IDUs with a current substance use disorder accessing a needle and syringe programme. Presence of mental health disorders was assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI).
Both the K10 and PHQ had high levels of internal consistency and concurrent validity. Individuals with a positive screen on the K10 were ten lines more likely to have a current affective disorder, while those with a positive PHQ screen had nearly 14 times the risk.
The K10 and PHQ are recommended as brief screening and diagnostic tools for current affective disorders among IDUs.