Patient Health Questionnaire for Depression

The PHQ-9 is the module of the Patient Health Questionnaire focusing on major depressive disorder (MDD). It is a 3-page questionnaire that can be entirely self-administered by the patient, after which it is checked by a medical professional. The PHQ-9 consists of 9 items. If 5 or more criteria have been met, the patient is diagnosed with depression.

Find out more about Patient Health Questionnaire

Alternative name
PHQ-9

Active? Yes

First used: 14 October 2021

Related Topic

Depression
Depression impacts over 260 million people. It is the most extensively studied disorder in the world of psychedelics with psilocybin, ketamine and DMT all showing promise.

Related Papers

Safety and effectiveness of intranasal esketamine for treatment-resistant depression: a real-world retrospective study
This retrospective analysis (n=171) examined the effectiveness of esketamine in participants with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). A significant reduction in depressive symptoms was observed using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 from baseline to last the last treatment.

Clinical Effectiveness of Intravenous Racemic Ketamine Infusions in a Large Community Sample of Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression, Suicidal Ideation, and Generalized Anxiety Symptoms: A Retrospective Chart Review
This analysis of open-label real-world data (n=424) of patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) find that ketamine (10x 35mg/70kg) infusions led to a clinical response (>50% reduction in symptoms, PHQ-9) for 72% of patients and remission (>80%) in 38%. Similar positive effects were found on scores of suicidal ideation (50% reduction), and anxiety (GAD-7, 30%).

At-home, sublingual ketamine telehealth is a safe and effective treatment for moderate to severe anxiety and depression: Findings from a large, prospective, open-label effectiveness trial
This open-label (real-world evidence) paper (n=1247) argues that at-home sublingual ketamine (tablets for under the tongue) is both safe (only four patients dropped out) and effective (remission of 32% for depression and anxiety). Patients only spoke with a 'guide' (not a therapist) over video as the study was conducted during Covid. The results look promising, though the study sponsor (Mindbloom) has come under scrutiny recently.

Related Trials

Psychedelics and Wellness Study (PAWS)
The Psychedelics and Wellness Study (PAWS), is an anonymous online survey investigating the interrelationship between psychedelics and wellness. The study population is adults ages 18 and older that have taken a psychedelic at least once. The maximum sample size is 5,000 survey respondents. It is expected that this anonymous online survey will support the hypothesis that there is a robust interrelationship between past psychedelic use and its impact on wellness.

Ketamine Infusion Therapy for the Treatment of PTSD in Paramedics
This is an observational study to assess the change in several psychological screening tools before and after a series of six ketamine infusions in paramedics who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder as a result of working in emergency medical services.

Efficacy And Tolerability Of Sub-Anesthetic Ketamine In Postpartum Depression
The purpose of this study is to assess the safety, pharmacokinetics and antidepressant efficacy of sub-anesthetic dose of intravenous ketamine in perinatal depression.

Ketamine Anesthesia for Improvement of Depression in ECT
The purpose of this prospective randomized clinical trial is to determine if patients receiving ketamine as a part of general anesthesia during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) rather than standard of care will have improvement in symptoms of depression after a course of ECT treatments. The investigators hypothesize that utilization of ketamine for induction of general anesthesia during ECT treatments will improve symptoms of depression better than standard care.

Ketamine Anesthesia in Electroconvulsive Therapy
The study hypothesis was that depressed subjects receiving ECT with ketamine as the anesthetic agent would demonstrate a faster rate of improvement, defined as lower depression ratings after the second ECT than depressed patients receiving ECT with the usual anesthetic agent.

Palliadelic Treatment to Reduce Psychological Distress in Persons With Inoperable Pancreatobiliary Cancer
The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the ability to recruit and retain participants and to successfully conduct a psilocybin-based protocol, for a study of the treatment of distress related to inoperable pancreaticobiliary cancer. Secondary objectives include pre/post and longitudinal measurement of distress in intervention participants and a paired family member who is in an observational arm.