Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)
The PHQ-9 is a validated self-report screening questionnaire. It measures how often nine depressive symptoms have occurred during the past two weeks and produces a published severity score. It does not provide a diagnosis.
- Scientific name
- Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)
- Primary reference
- Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JBW. The PHQ-9: Validity of a Brief Depression Severity Measure. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2001;16(9):606–613. Open publication
- Time
- 3 min
- Length
- 9 questions
- Cost
- Free basic result
- Age
- Adults 18+
What this covers
- Depressive symptoms
- Frequency of the nine PHQ-9 symptoms during the past two weeks.
Who it is for
Adults who want a structured, private check of depressive symptoms experienced during the past two weeks.
What your result can show
The nine responses are summed to a score from 0 to 27 and shown in the PHQ-9's published symptom ranges. The result is suitable as a conversation prompt, not as a diagnosis.
Important limitations
The PHQ-9 is a screening measure, not a diagnostic assessment. Context, duration, functional impact, physical health and other explanations require qualified clinical evaluation. Any response above zero to item 9 deserves prompt attention.
A higher score does not establish a diagnosis. A lower score does not show that a condition is absent.
Evidence and permission
Your answers and result stay on this device. After completion, you can separately choose to upload derived scores for a private link that expires after 180 days.