PHQ-9 Depression Screener
PHQ-9 Depression Screener - a deterministic tool in Sophie Well's Clinical Scoring & Risk group.
Open the PHQ-9 Depression Screener → Runs in your browser. No signup, no tracking.
What this is
Score the PHQ-9 depression screener. Sophie Well sums the nine 0-3 item responses and returns the total (0-27) plus the conventional severity band (none/minimal 0-4, mild 5-9, moderate 10-14, moderately severe 15-19, severe 20-27). Item 9 (self-harm thoughts) is flagged separately as a safety prompt. Source: Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JBW. J Gen Intern Med 2001.
When to use it
Use PHQ-9 for adult depression screening in primary care, OB, and inpatient settings, and for serial monitoring of response to treatment. A positive PHQ-9 is the beginning of a clinical interview, not a diagnosis; item 9 always warrants a direct safety conversation regardless of the total.
References
Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JBW. PHQ-9. J Gen Intern Med. 2001;16(9):606-613.
Worked example: Score 7 of 27 = Mild depression.
Sophie Well is a reference and educational tool. Not medical, legal, or financial advice. Does not replace clinician judgment, professional billing review, or legal counsel.