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Protocol Reference Papers

PHQ-9 Questionnaire

The PHQ-9 was developed by Dr. Robert L. Spitzer, Dr. Janet B.W. Williams, and their colleagues as part of the PRIME-MD diagnostic tool, which was funded by Pfizer Inc. It is based on the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder in the DSM-IV and has been widely validated in numerous studies. The tool's reliability and validity have been established across various settings and populations, making it one of the most trusted and widely used depression screening instruments in clinical practice. Its simplicity, brevity, and strong psychometric properties contribute to its broad acceptance and utility in both clinical and research settings.

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Accuracy of the PHQ-2 Alone and in Combination With the PHQ-9 for Screening to Detect Major Depression

In depression screening, questionnaires are used to identify patients with scores above a cutoff threshold for evaluation to determine whether depression is present.1 One strategy is to administer a brief screening tool followed by a longer tool for positive screens. The Patient Health Questionnaire–2 (PHQ-2),4 which consists of the first 2 items (depressed mood and anhedonia) of the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9), has been recommended as a prescreen prior to administering remaining PHQ-9 items (Table 1).

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