What is the PHQ-9 used for?

• A. Depression screening
• B. Anxiety screening
• C. Dementia screening
• D. Sleep quality

Answer: (A)

The PHQ-9 is a brief, self-administered tool used to screen for depression, gauge how severe it is, and monitor response to treatment. It asks about nine depressive symptoms over the past two weeks, with each item scored 0 to 3, giving a total score from 0 to 27. Higher scores reflect more severe symptoms, helping clinicians categorize severity and decide on next steps. It’s designed for quick screening and ongoing tracking in primary care and other settings, not as a standalone diagnosis. It’s not meant for anxiety, dementia, or sleep quality—separate tools exist for those areas (for example, anxiety is assessed with an instrument like the GAD-7). In short, the PHQ-9’s main role is identifying depression and measuring its impact over time to guide clinical decisions.