The Patient Health Questionnaire depression screener in spinal cord injury

Depression can negatively affect rehabilitation after spinal cord injury. This study looks at using a short questionnaire (PHQ-2) to screen for depression. The PHQ-2 is a shorter version of the PHQ-9, a tool used to assess depression. Researchers wanted to see if it could be a useful tool in SCI/D population. The study found that the PHQ-2 shows promise as a useful screening tool for depression in people with spinal cord injury living in the community.

• 1
  A PHQ-2 cutoff score of 3 or greater correctly classified 94.8% of the cases in identifying clinically significant depression.
• 2
  A cutoff of 3 or greater on the PHQ-2 had a sensitivity of 83.3% and a specificity of 97.8% for detecting depression.
• 3
  The study revealed that 12% of the SCI/D outpatient sample endorsed suicidal ideation, highlighting the need for routine screening.