Intermediate
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
PHQ-9
Also written as: PHQ-9 — Patient Health Questionnaire-9
Standardized nine-item screening tool used to assess depression severity in clinical settings.
Full Definition
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a widely used, validated screening instrument that measures depression severity based on the nine diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder from the DSM. Each item is scored from 0 to 3, with total scores ranging from 0 to 27. The PHQ-9 is valuable for initial screening, monitoring treatment progress, and measuring changes in depression symptoms over time in psychiatric therapy settings.
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenated. Include the '9' to distinguish from other PHQ versions.
In Context
- "The patient's PHQ-9 score decreased from 18 to 8 after six weeks of therapy." — Clinical progress note
- "Standard protocol requires administering the PHQ-9 at intake and every fourth session." — Clinical procedures manual
Also known as
Patient Health Questionnaire-9
Don't confuse with
PHQ-2
GAD-7
Beck Depression Inventory