Description

For sample adults aged 18+, PHQSCREEN reports whether the respondent scores positive or negative for the two-item Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (PHQ-2). NHIS specifies that the PHQ-2 "is a subset of the 8-item PHQ-8 and is meant not meant to be diagnostic but rather a screener for further evaluation."

More precisely, PHQSCREEN summarizes responses to two component variables:

• PHQINTR: during the past two weeks, bothered by having little interest or pleasure in doing things, and

• PHQDEP: during the past two weeks, bothered by feeling down, depressed, or hopeless.

When summing over the values of PHQINTR and PHQDEP, respondents with scores below 3 are coded as negative and those with scores of 3 and above are coded as positive. For more information, refer to

Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R.L., and Williams, J.B. (2003). The Patient Health Questionnaire-2: Validity of a two-item depressive screener. Medical Care 41: 1284-1292.

Kroenke et al. (2003) suggest a score of 3 on the PHQ-2 as the optimal cut point for depression screening purposes.

Comparability

There are no comparability issues.

Universe

Availability

• 2023

Weights

• 2023 : SAMPWEIGHT