Table of Contents
What is a normal PHQ-9 score?
A PHQ-9 score total of 0-4 points equals “normal” or minimal depression. Scoring between 5-9 points indicates mild depression, 10-14 points indicates moderate depression, 15-19 points indicates moderately severe depression, and 20 or more points indicates severe depression. The PHQ-9 is intended as a tool to assist clinicians with identifying and diagnosing depression but is not a substitute for diagnosis by a trained clinician. This is used by some clinicians and organizations to screen patients for undiagnosed depression. The PHQ-2 consists of the first two questions asked on the PHQ-9. ShareThe PHQ-9 is a multipurpose instrument for screening, diagnosing, monitoring and measuring the severity of depression. Usefulness of PHQ-9 in primary care to determine meaningful symptoms of low mood: a qualitative study.
How to calculate PHQ-9 score?
Scores are calculated based on how frequently a person experiences these feelings. Each “not at all” response is scored as 0; each “several days” response is 1; each “more than half the days” response is 2; and each “nearly every day” response is 3. The sum value of these responses gives you your total score. Scores are calculated based on how frequently a person experiences these feelings. Each “not at all” response is scored as 0; each “several days” response is 1; each “more than half the days” response is 2; and each “nearly every day” response is 3. The sum value of these responses gives you your total score. The GAD-7 score is calculated by assigning scores of 0, 1, 2, and 3, to the response categories of “not at all,” “several days,” “more than half the days,” and “nearly every day,” respectively, and then adding together the scores for the seven questions. GAD-7 total score for the seven items ranges from 0 to 21. Scores represent: 0-5 = mild 6-10 = moderate 11-15 = moderately severe. 16-20 = severe depression. GAD-7 Anxiety Severity. Scores represent: 0-5 = mild 6-10 = moderate 11-15 = moderately severe. 16-20 = severe depression. GAD-7 Anxiety Severity. Scores represent: 0-5 = mild 6-10 = moderate 11-15 = moderately severe. 16-20 = severe depression. GAD-7 Anxiety Severity.
What is the PHQ-9 rating scale?
PHQ-9 total score for the nine items ranges from 0 to 27. In the above case, the PHQ- 9 depression severity score is 16 (3 items scored 1, 2 items scored 2, and 3 items scored 3). Scores of 5, 10, 15, and 20 represent cutpoints for mild, moderate, moderately severe and severe depression, respectively. In conclusion, the PHQ-9 is a widely used tool in primary care for diagnosing depression and determining depression severity. For practitioners, it can provide an appealing numerical and “objective” diagnosis (Tavabie & Tavabie, 2009). The PHQ-9 is a multipurpose instrument for screening, diagnosing, monitoring and measuring the severity of depression: n The PHQ-9 incorporates DSM-IV depression diagnostic criteria with other leading major depressive symptoms into a brief self-report tool. The 9-question Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is a diagnostic tool introduced in 2001 to screen adult patients in a primary care setting for the presence and severity of depression. It rates depression based on the self-administered Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). We found that PHQ-9 sensitivity and specificity were both 85% compared with semistructured interviews. Several participants thought that not all relevant depressive symptoms were covered by thePHQ-9. It did not allow them to adequately express changes in their symptoms. Missing items include the tendency to withdraw from people, lack of libido and the sudden onset of an inability to cope at work.
What is a positive PHQ score?
The PHQ-9 has 9 questions with a score ranging from 0 to 3 for each question (maximum score of 27). A threshold score of 10 or higher is considered to indicate mild major depression, 15 or higher indicates moderate major depression, and 20 or higher severe major depression. Depression Severity: 0-4 none, 5-9 mild, 10-14 moderate, 15-19 moderately severe, 20-27 severe. Validity has been assessed against an independent structured mental health professional (MHP) interview. PHQ-9 score ≥10 had a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 88% for major depression. The Patient Health Questionnaire—9 (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire– 7 (GAD-7) are short screening instruments used for detection of depression and anxiety symptoms in various settings, including general and mental health care as well as the general population. The following guidelines are recommended for the interpretation of scores: 0–7 for normal or no anxiety, 8–10 for mild anxiety, 11–14 for moderate anxiety, and 12–21 for severe anxiety. The PHQ 2 and 9 should be completed by the patient, usually in the waiting room, and then scored by a staff person. Often administrative staff or medical assistants score this form and subsequently enter the score into the electronic health record.
How do you score and interpret the PHQ-9 assessment?
PHQ-9 scores can be used to plan and monitor treatment. To score the instrument, tally the numbers of all the checked responses under each heading (not at all=0, several days=1, more than half the days=2, and nearly every day=3). Add the numbers together to total the score on the bottom of the questionnaire. The PHQ-9 can be filled out two ways; directly handing a copy to the patient to complete on their own or being administered verbally by staff as part of the rooming process. Studies have shown that patients can successfully fill out this form by themselves and do not always require assistance. In which populations should the PHQ 2 and 9 tools be used? The PHQ 2 and 9 are appropriate to be used with individuals 12 years of age and older. Sensitivity and specificity analyses showed that the PHQ-9 is sensitive but not specific at capturing depressive symptoms when compared to clinician diagnoses whereas the GAD-7 was neither sensitive nor specific at capturing anxiety symptoms.
What PHQ-9 score indicates depression?
Using the MHP reinterview as the criterion standard, a PHQ-9 score ≥10 had a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 88% for major depression. PHQ-9 scores of 5, 10, 15, and 20 represented mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe depression, respectively. ShareThe PHQ-9 is a multipurpose instrument for screening, diagnosing, monitoring and measuring the severity of depression. The PHQ-9 can function as a screening tool, an aid in diagnosis, and as a symptom tracking tool that can help track a patient’s overall depression severity as well as track the improvement of specific symptoms with treatment. A score of 10 or greater on the GAD-7 represents a reasonable cut point for identifying cases of GAD. Cut points of 5, 10, and 15 might be interpreted as representing mild, moderate, and severe levels of anxiety on the GAD-7, similar to levels of depression on the PHQ-9. 0–9 = normal, 10–19 = mild depression, 20–30 = severe depression. The Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A) is a self-report questionnaire that is designed for the purpose of assessing anxiety, mood, eating, and substance use disorders among adolescent primary care patients.
Is PHQ-9 a psychometric test?
Within these limitations, our findings indicate that the PHQ-9 is a psychometrically sound and unidimensional depression measure for Korean university students. The PHQ-9 is a multipurpose instrument for screening, diagnosing, monitoring and measuring the severity of depression: n The PHQ-9 incorporates DSM-IV depression diagnostic criteria with other leading major depressive symptoms into a brief self-report tool. The 9-question Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is a diagnostic tool introduced in 2001 to screen adult patients in a primary care setting for the presence and severity of depression. Sensitivity and specificity analyses showed that the PHQ-9 is sensitive but not specific at capturing depressive symptoms when compared to clinician diagnoses whereas the GAD-7 was neither sensitive nor specific at capturing anxiety symptoms. Usefulness of PHQ-9 in primary care to determine meaningful symptoms of low mood: a qualitative study. A score of 10 or greater on the GAD-7 represents a reasonable cut point for identifying cases of GAD. Cut points of 5, 10, and 15 might be interpreted as representing mild, moderate, and severe levels of anxiety on the GAD-7, similar to levels of depression on the PHQ-9.