Screening instruments for depression in primary care: a concise review for clinicians

Area of Science:

• Primary Care Medicine
• Mental Health Research
• Public Health

Background:

• Depression is a widespread global health issue, frequently managed within primary care settings.
• Integrating mental health services into general healthcare is recommended to address the care gap.
• Primary care faces challenges in mental health management due to time constraints and limited staff training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of brief, reliable depression screening tools for primary care physicians.
• To introduce the 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) as a primary screening tool.
• To outline subsequent diagnostic and screening steps based on PHQ-2 results.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of the PHQ-2 as a suitable initial depression screening instrument.
• Mention of follow-up screening tools like PHQ-9, Geriatric Depression Scale-15, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.
• Exploration of computerized depression screening integrated with electronic health records.

Main Results:

• The PHQ-2 is effective for initial depression screening in primary care.
• Specific follow-up tools are recommended based on patient demographics (adults, older adults, postpartum women).
• Computerized screening integrated into EHRs shows promise for improved diagnosis and management.

Conclusions:

• Effective depression screening in primary care requires brief, easy-to-administer tools like the PHQ-2.
• Appropriate follow-up assessments and management are essential for ethical screening implementation.
• Optimizing depression diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up can be enhanced through integrated digital health tools.