Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) Calculator

Clinical calculation support · Verify results before clinical use

HADS score calculator

Use the official questionnaire and scoring key. Each item must be scored from 0 to 3.

0–21Per scale

HADS Anxiety (HADS-A)

Seven items, each scored 0–3. Enter the item score after applying the official scoring key, including reverse scoring where required.

HADS Depression (HADS-D)

Seven items, each scored 0–3. Enter the item score after applying the official scoring key, including reverse scoring where required.

About HADS

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale is a self-report screening instrument designed to assess symptoms of anxiety and depression, particularly in medical settings. It contains 14 items divided into two independent seven-item subscales.

Each subscale ranges from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate greater symptom burden. HADS is a screening measure and does not establish a psychiatric diagnosis.

Commonly used subscale interpretation

Subscale scoreInterpretation
0–7Normal range / non-case
8–10Borderline / doubtful case
11–21Abnormal / probable case

Clinical use

  • Interpret each subscale separately and consider the patient's clinical context.
  • A positive screen should prompt appropriate clinical assessment rather than being treated as a diagnosis.
  • Use a validated language version and follow its authorized scoring instructions.

References

Zigmond AS, Snaith RP. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1983;67(6):361–370. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.1983.tb09716.x. PMID: 6880820.
Validation of HADS in an Indonesian population. Scale adaptation study. Family Medicine and Community Health. 2023;11:e001775. Full text.
Clinical disclaimer: This calculator supports screening and does not replace clinical assessment. The commonly used categories are screening thresholds, not severity grades or a diagnosis. Consider symptoms, functional impact, patient preferences, and clinical risk when deciding on further assessment or referral.