The PHQ-9 is a self-reported depression scale that’s used to screen patients for major depressive disorder. The test is made up of nine questions that ask about the frequency of symptoms over the past two weeks.

The PHQ-9 is a tool often used for regular depression screenings during primary care visits or checkups. It may also be part of a more comprehensive assessment.

The PHQ-9 is the nine item depression scale from the Patient Health Questionnaire, and is a widely used tool for assisting primary care clinicians in identifying depression as well as monitoring treatment (Kroenke et al., 2001).