Cardiac Rehabilitation And Quality Of Life Scores

PHQ-9 Depression Score Calculator (for Cardiac Patients)

Clinical calculation support · Verify results before clinical use

Depression Symptom Assessment

Over the last two weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems?

0 Score / 27
Little interest or pleasure in doing things
Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much
Feeling tired or having little energy
Poor appetite or overeating
Feeling bad about yourself, or that you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down
Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television
Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed, or the opposite, being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual
Thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way

About the PHQ-9

The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 is a nine-item self-report measure used to screen for depressive symptoms and estimate symptom severity over the preceding two weeks. Each item is scored from 0 to 3, producing a total score from 0 to 27.

In cardiovascular care, assessment of depressive symptoms may support a more comprehensive approach to psychosocial health. The PHQ-9 is a screening and severity instrument; it does not replace a diagnostic assessment or an evaluation of immediate safety.

Score interpretation

Total scoreSymptom severity
0–4Minimal or none
5–9Mild
10–14Moderate
15–19Moderately severe
20–27Severe

Clinical use

  • Review symptom duration, functional impairment, prior history, medications, substance use, and relevant medical contributors.
  • A score of 10 or more can indicate clinically important depressive symptoms and should prompt appropriate clinical assessment; it is not a stand-alone diagnosis.
  • Evaluate any positive response to question 9 directly, regardless of the total score.

References

Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JBW. The PHQ-9: Validity of a Brief Depression Severity Measure. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2001;16(9):606–613. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016009606.x PMID: 11556941.
Clinical disclaimer: This calculator supports symptom screening and severity scoring. It is not a diagnostic device and does not replace clinical assessment. Interpret results in context. A positive response to question 9 requires direct, timely safety assessment regardless of the total score.
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