A Clinician's Guide to Addressing High-Risk PHQ-9 Results

"The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a tool most clinicians are familiar with. It's quick, familiar, and widely trusted across health care settings. However, when a patient's results indicate high risk, they deserve more than a quick glance. It signals that they may be carrying a level of distress that affects mood, safety, functioning, and quality of life. How you respond in that moment matters. It can shape trust, determine next steps, and, in some cases, prevent serious harm."

"The PHQ-9 is a nine-item screening tool used to assess the presence and severity of depressive symptoms. Each item corresponds to diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder and asks patients how often they have experienced specific symptoms over the past two weeks. Scores range from minimal to severe and are often used to guide clinical decision-making, track symptom changes over time, and support conversations about mental health."

The PHQ-9 is a nine-item screening instrument that measures frequency and severity of depressive symptoms over the past two weeks. Scores range from minimal to severe and guide clinical decision-making, symptom monitoring, and mental health conversations across primary care, specialty care, behavioral health, and workplace settings. The PHQ-9 screens for possible depression but does not provide a diagnosis. High scores suggest frequent, persistent symptoms that impair functioning and quality of life. Item 9, assessing thoughts of death or self-harm, signals increased risk when endorsed and demands further assessment; endorsement can reflect hopelessness or exhaustion rather than active intent. Clinician response to high-risk results influences trust, follow-up, and safety.

Read at Psychology Today