{"id":16089,"date":"2020-10-08T12:59:26","date_gmt":"2020-10-08T16:59:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=16089"},"modified":"2022-11-11T14:00:24","modified_gmt":"2022-11-11T19:00:24","slug":"depression-screening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/depression-screening\/","title":{"rendered":"What to expect from a depression screening"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is a depression screening?<\/a> | How to access a screening<\/a> | Who needs a screening<\/a> | Questions to expect<\/a> | Screening results<\/a> | Diagnosis<\/a> | Treatment<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

When you arrive at your doctor\u2019s office for your appointment, the receptionist asks for a copy of your insurance card\u2014then, hands you a brief questionnaire, asking about how you\u2019ve been feeling lately. Many healthcare providers have some sort of depression screening tool used to help them recognize early signs of a mood disorder that could justify some further evaluation.<\/span><\/p>\n

In honor of National Depression Screening Day on Oct. 8, learn more about how a depression screening can help you assess your mental health status and needs. It could be the first step toward understanding your moods and improving your quality of life.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is a depression screening?<\/span><\/h2>\n

A depression screening tool is just what it sounds like: a screening measure. It\u2019s designed to screen for symptoms of depression. It may be referred to colloquially as a \u201cdepression test,\u201d but it isn\u2019t a true \u201ctest\u201d like a blood pressure check that measures exact levels of something. Rather, a depression screening is an instrument that uses subjective answers to give a provider insight into your mental health.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA depression screening is intended to identify symptoms that might put a person at risk for having depression,\u201d explains Crystal Clark, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A commonly used screening tool is the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). It\u2019s a list of questions that asks you to think about things like your appetite and your energy levels. You complete this questionnaire so that you and your doctor can determine if you\u2019re frequently experiencing certain common symptoms of depression such as persistent sadness and loss of interest in your favorite activities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A screening flags many symptoms that you might have. It\u2019s an indicator that could help you decide when it\u2019s time to see a mental health professional. \u201cDepending on what you score, you\u2019ll know if you need to move forward or not,\u201d says Lindsay Israel, MD, a psychiatrist and the chief\u00a0medical officer of\u00a0<\/span>Success TMS<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do I access a depression screening tool?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Your primary care provider might give you a copy to fill out in the waiting room. Or you might receive a questionnaire to complete when waiting to see a specialist.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can also go online to complete a self-assessment. Organizations like the <\/span>United States Preventive Services Task Force<\/span><\/a> (USPSTF) and the <\/span>Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) offer depression screening tools<\/span><\/a> like the PHQ-9 on their websites. <\/span>However, none of these self-assessments are substitutes for a formal evaluation by a mental health professional.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Do I need a depression screening?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends regular screening for depression in adults, including pregnant and postpartum women, as well as procedures for follow-up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why? Depression is a very common health condition\u2014one that affected more than <\/span>17 million adults<\/span><\/a> in the U.S. in 2017. In fact, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), more than 7% of the adult population of the U.S. has experienced at least one major depressive episode.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Since so many people are affected, just about anyone could benefit from doing a screening, according to Dr. Clark. \u201cI feel like everyone should sit down and do it, but definitely anyone who feels like something is not quite right,\u201d Dr. Clark explains.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You might be aware that you\u2019ve been experiencing some symptoms of depression. But, you might not\u2014or you may not realize that your feelings are symptoms of depression. A depression screening can pick up on the signs that you may have missed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But if you\u2019ve recently been diagnosed with a condition like heart disease, stroke, or cancer, a depression screening might be an especially good idea. Depression and other mental health conditions often go hand-in-hand with other health conditions or medical comorbidities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, depression is considered a risk factor for some conditions like cardiovascular disease. Research suggests that as many as <\/span>40%<\/span><\/a> of people who have experienced a serious cardiac event meet the criteria for a <\/span>major depressive disorder<\/span><\/a> (MDD). The American Cancer Society also estimates that <\/span>1 out of every 4<\/span><\/a> people with cancer also suffers from major depression.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And unfortunately, depression can make a bad situation worse. For example, research shows that people with cardiovascular disease who also suffer from depression tend to have poorer outcomes. Depression can make it very hard for people with a serious illness to manage that illness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After all, the mind and body are connected, says Clark. \u201cSo, if a patient is truly depressed and also has a physical illness, they are less likely to tend to that physical illness than they would if they were feeling better,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What questions are asked in a depression screening?<\/span><\/h2>\n

A typical depression screening will ask you to think about how you\u2019ve been feeling over the past two weeks. The PHQ-9 will ask you to assess how often you\u2019ve experienced the following:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Little interest or pleasure in doing things<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or sleeping too much<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Feeling tired or having little energy<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Poor appetite or overeating<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. Feeling bad about yourself<\/span><\/li>\n
  7. Trouble concentrating<\/span><\/li>\n
  8. Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed? Or the opposite\u2014being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual<\/span><\/li>\n
  9. Thoughts that you would be better off dead or hurting yourself<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    You\u2019ll go down the list and assign a frequency to each question. Your choices are:<\/span><\/p>\n