This Medical Spanish lesson teaches you how to evaluate depression in Spanish using SIG E CAPS and PHQ-9 with your Spanish speaking patients.
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Note: I published a lesson about SIG E CAPS early this year. You can check it out here.
Vocabulario: Emoción/Estado
| Aburrido/a | Bored |
| Agitado/a | Agitated |
| Agotado/a | Exhausted |
| Ansioso/a | Anxious |
| Así, así | So so |
| Bien | Good, fine |
| Cansado/a | Tired |
Confundido/a  | Confused |
| Contento/a | Happy |
| Deprimido/a | Depressed |
| Despierto/a | Awake |
| Dormido/a | Asleep |
| Enfermo/a | Sick, hill |
| Enojado/a | Angry |
| Feliz | Happy |
| Frustrado/a | Frustrated |
| Igual | The same |
| Inquieto/a | Restless |
| Mal | Ill / Not Well |
| Más o menos | So so |
| Mejor | Better |
| Muy bien | Very good |
| Muy mal | Very bad |
| Nervioso/a | Nervous |
| Peor | Worse |
| Preocupado/a | Worried |
| Regular | Regular |
| Tranquilo/a | Calm |
| Triste | Sad |
PHQ-9:
¿Se ha sentido decaído(a), deprimido(a), o sin esperanzas?
Have you felt down, depressed, or hopeless?
Vocabulario Útil…
Verbos útiles con emociones:
| Estar: | To be: |
| ¿Está _____? | Are you _____? |
| ¿Ha estado _____? | Have you been ______? |
| Sentirse (e-ie): | To feel: |
| ¿Se siente _____? | Do you feel ______? |
| ¿Se ha sentido _____? | Have you felt ________? |
| Tener (e-ie): | To have: |
| ¿Tiene _____? | Do you have _______? |
| ¿Ha tenido _____? | Have you had _______? |
Duración/Frecuencia de tiempo
| Casi todos los días | Almost every day |
| Con frecuencia | Frequently |
| De vez en cuando | Occasionally |
| En los últimos meses | In the last months |
| En las últimas semanas | In the last weeks |
| Más de la mitad de los días | More than half of the days |
| Nunca | Never |
| Recientemente | Recently |
| Todo el día | All day |
SIG E CAPS
- S: Sleep – Sueño
- I: Interest – Interés
- G: Guilt – Culpa
- E: Energy – Energía
- C: Concentration – Concentración
- A: Appetite – Apetito
- P: Psychomotor – Psicomotor
- S: Suicide – Suicidio
Sleep – Sueño
| ¿Ha tenido dificultad para dormir? | Have you had difficulty sleeping? |
| ¿Ha tenido dificultad para dormirse? | Have you had difficulty falling asleep? |
| ¿Duerme bien? | Do you sleep well? |
| ¿Cuántas horas duerme por noche? | How many hours do you sleep per night? |
| ¿Es más o menos de lo normal? | Is that more or less than normal? |
| ¿Se despierta en la noche? | Do you wake up at night? |
| ¿Duerme durante el día? | Do you sleep during the day? |
| ¿Por qué piensa que no duerme bien? | Why do you think you don’t sleep well? |
PHQ-9:
¿Ha tenido dificultad para quedarse o permanecer dormido(a)? ¿O ha dormido demasiado?
Have you had difficulty staying asleep? Or have you slept too much?
Interest – Interés
| ¿Qué cosas le gustan hacer? | What things do you like to do? |
| ¿Ha cambiado su interés en actividades que antes disfrutaba? | Has your interest changed in activities you used to enjoy? |
| ¿Ha perdido interés en algo? | Have you lost interest in anything? |
| ¿Ha tenido menos interés en algo? | Have you had less interest in something? |
PHQ-9:
¿Ha tenido poco interés o placer en hacer cosas?
Have you had little interest or pleasure in doing things?
Guilt – Culpa
| ¿Lamenta o se arrepiente de algo? | Do you regret something? |
| ¿Se siente responsable o culpable por eso? | Do you feel responsible or guilty because of that? |
PHQ-9:
- ¿Se ha sentido mal con usted mismo(a)? – Have you felt bad about yourself?
- ¿O que es un fracaso? – Or that you are a failure?
- ¿O que ha quedado mal con usted mismo(a) o con su familia? – Or have you offended or done wrong by yourself or your family?
Energy – Energía
| ¿Ha notado cambios en su nivel de energía? | Have you noticed any changes in your energy level? |
| ¿Ha subido / bajado su nivel de energía? | Has your energy level gone up / down? |
| ¿Tiene suficiente energía para cumplir con sus labores (deberes, responsabilidades) diarias? | Do you have enough energy to fulfill your daily tasks (duties, responsibilities)? |
PHQ-9:
¿Se ha sentido cansado o con poca energía?
Have you felt tired or with little energy?
Concentration – Concentración
| ¿Puede concentrarse bien (en la escuela, en el trabajo)? | Can you concentrate well (at school, at work)? |
| ¿(Le)* Es difícil enfocarse? | Is it difficult for you to focus? |
| ¿Completa sus labores a tiempo? | Do you complete your tasks on time? |
PHQ-9:
¿Ha tenido dificultad para concentrarse en ciertas actividades, tales como leer el periódico o ver la televisión?
Have you had difficulty concentrating on certain activities, such as reading the newspaper or watching television?
Appetite – Apetito
| ¿Tiene apetito? | Do you have appetite? |
| ¿Disfruta la comida más o menos igual como / que antes? | Do you enjoy food more or less the same as before? |
| ¿Recientemente come más o menos de lo normal? | Are you recently eating more or less than usual? |
| ¿Ha bajado o subido de peso recientemente? | Have you lost or gained weight recently? |
PHQ-9:
¿Ha estado sin apetito o ha comido en exceso?
Have you been without appetite or have you eaten excesively?
Psychomotor – Psicomotor
| ¿Tiene dolor sin razón? | Do you have pain for no reason? |
| ¿Se siente inquieto o ansioso? | Do you feel restless or anxious? |
| ¿Ha notado una falta de coordinación recientemente? | Have you noticed a lack of coordination recently? |
| ¿Le cuestan las actividades diarias como cepillarse los dientes, vestirse? | Are daily activities such as brushing your teeth, dressing difficult for you? |
PHQ-9:
- ¿Se ha movido o hablado tan lento que otras personas podrían haberlo notado? – Have you moved or talked so slowly that other people might have noticed?
- ¿O, lo contrario – ha estado muy inquieto(a) o agitado (a) que ha estado moviéndose mucho más de lo normal? – Or, the opposite – have you been very restless or agitated that you have been moving much more than usual?
Suicide – Suicidio
| ¿Ha pensado recientemente que tal vez la vida no vale la pena? | Have you thought recently that maybe life is not worth it? |
| ¿Ha pensado en suicidarse / quitarse la vida? ¿Piensa así a menudo? | Have you thought about committing suicide / taking your own life? Do you think like that often? |
| ¿Ha pensado en hacerse daño / lastimarse? | Have you thought about hurting yourself? |
| ¿Ha pensado en dañar / lastimar a otra persona? | Have you thought about harming someone else? |
PHQ-9:
¿Ha tenido pensamientos de que estaría mejor muerto(a) o de lastimarse de alguna manera?
Have you ever had thoughts that you would be better off dead or hurting yourself in some way?
Situational Notes
Cosas que causan estrés:
| Muerte | Death |
| Divorcio | Divorce |
| Demasiadas responsabilidades | Too much responsabilities |
| Mudarse | To move |
| Enfermedades graves | Serious diseases |
| Pérdida de empleo o problemas en el trabajo | Loss of employment or problems at work |
| Problemas con las finanzas | Problems with finances |
| Problemas con otros miembros de la familia | Problems with other family members |
Las realidades para inmigrantes:
| Inestabilidad en el trabajo | Instability at work |
| Múltiples trabajos | Multiple jobs |
| Inestabilidad del hogar | Instability at home |
| Separación de familiares | Separation of relatives |
| Traumas durante inmigración | Trauma during immigration |
| Ingresos bajos | Low incomes |
| Dificultades sistémicas en buscar atención médica | Systemic difficulties in seeking medical attention |
Cultural Notes
Estadísticas de depresión en Latinos:
| Los latinos mayores de 18 años son menos propensos a reportar depresión | Latinos over 18 are less likely to report depression |
| Los adolescentes latinos tienen mayor riesgo de suicidio: 18.9% lo piensan, 11.3% lo intentan | Latino teenagers have a higher risk of suicide: 18.9% think about it, 11.3% try it |
| Pocos buscan ayuda profesional: | Few seek professional help: |
| Menos de 1/11 contactan especialistas en salud mental | Less than 1/11 contact mental health specialists |
| Menos de 1/5 tienen un proveedor de atención primaria | Less than 1/5 have a primary care provider |
| Menos de 55% de adultos (y 30% de adolescentes) con episodios depresivos reciben tratamiento | Less than 55% of adults (and 30% of adolescents) with depressive episodes receive treatment |
Source: Hufft Post
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