How to create a depression score

[jill urbaeva]

I need to create a variable for major depression using 8 items (D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7, D8) coded 0-3. Major depression requires the first two variables (D1 and D2) to have values 2 and/or 3 and at least 5 of the other variables (D3-D8) to have values 2 and 3. Can you please show me a code for this?

[Nick Cox]

The first two conditions are

inlist(D1, 2, 3) & inlist(D2, 2, 3)

The third condition can be approached via

egen third = anycount(D3-D8), values(2 3)

so all can then be put together in a logical expression for an indicator variable

gen major = inlist(D1, 2, 3) & inlist(D2, 2, 3)  & third >= 5

NB typo egen for gen fixed in EDIT.

[jill urbaeva]

Thank you, Nick! My Stata is showing:

command inlist is unrecognized.

What does it mean?

[Nick Cox]

The first piece of code is just part of a statement. It won't work by itself. You need to use the second and third lines.

[Rich Goldstein]

clarified by Nick and so I deleted my comment

[Nick Cox]

OK. For generic advice see 1.4 and 1.5 at https://www.statalist.org/forums/help#adviceextras