PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9)
PHQ Depression Screening Tool
- This tool is intended for use by medical and mental health professionals.
- It is designed as a clinical reference based on current UK and international guidelines.
- The content is informed by research evidence and intended for professional use. Please note that the language and scoring system may reflect clinical terminology.
- If you are not a healthcare provider and are looking for mental health support, please consult a qualified practitioner.
Note about credits
This is a free tool provided by CogniLex to support clinicians. CogniLex does not profit from its use. Full credit goes to the original developers of the PHQ-9, which was created with an educational grant from Pfizer supporting Drs. Spitzer, Williams, and Kroenke. Pfizer no longer holds copyright, and no permission is required to reproduce, translate, display, or distribute the PHQ-9.
Further reading and references
- Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JB; The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. J Gen Intern Med. 2001 Sep 16(9):606-13.
- Cameron IM, Crawford JR, Lawton K, et al; Psychometric comparison of PHQ-9 and HADS for measuring depression severity in primary care. Br J Gen Pract. 2008 Jan 58(546):32-6. doi: 10.3399/bjgp08X263794.
- Haddad M, Walters P, Phillips R, et al; Detecting depression in patients with coronary heart disease: a diagnostic evaluation of the PHQ-9 and HADS-D in primary care, findings from the UPBEAT-UK study. PLoS One. 2013 Oct 10 8(10):e78493. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078493.
- de Man-van Ginkel JM, Gooskens F, Schepers VP, et al; Screening for post stroke depression using the patient health questionnaire. Nurs Res. 2012 Sep-Oct 61(5):333-41.
- Maurer DM; Screening for depression. Am Fam Physician. 2012 Jan 15 85(2):139-44.
- Pinto-Meza A, Serrano-Blanco A, Penarrubia MT, et al; Assessing depression in primary care with the PHQ-9: can it be carried out over the telephone? J Gen Intern Med. 2005 Aug 20(8):738-42.
Need Help?
This tool provides automated scoring based on your input. For clinical interpretation or reporting, please get in Contact with us.
The scores and labels generated are based on standardized psychometric properties but do not replace clinical judgment.