The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), in a format suitable for physical printing, is a widely utilized instrument designed to screen for and measure the severity of depression. This printed version allows for ease of distribution and completion in settings where digital access may be limited or unavailable. The questionnaire consists of nine questions, each corresponding to one of the DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder. Individuals respond to each question based on the frequency of experiencing the described symptoms over the past two weeks, using a four-point scale ranging from “not at all” to “nearly every day.”
This tangible format offers several advantages in healthcare settings. It facilitates administration to populations with limited technological literacy or access. The printed form provides a physical record of the patient’s responses, aiding in longitudinal tracking and comparison of scores over time. Furthermore, its use contributes to standardized data collection across diverse clinical environments, improving the reliability of depression screening and monitoring efforts. Historically, paper-based questionnaires have been the mainstay of mental health assessment, and this version maintains that accessibility.
The subsequent discussion will delve into the scoring and interpretation of the questionnaire results, explore its applications in various healthcare contexts, and examine the limitations and considerations when using this tool for depression assessment. This includes understanding the context of the results and combining them with other clinical findings for a comprehensive evaluation.
