What to expect during a depression screening

Health and Well-being Assessments often include this important health check. Here’s what you need to know.

The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice from your doctor.

The past few years have certainly taken a toll on our collective mental health. According to the World Health Organization, 5.7% of adults — and 5.9% of adults aged 70 and older — experience depression.

Despite these numbers, many people still suffer in silence. According to Mental Health America, more than half (56%) of adults with depression, anxiety, or other mental illness receive no treatment at all.

So why do so many people go without help? Part of the reason is stigma. In fact, one survey published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine Research found that 30% of respondents believed a weak personality caused depression. On top of that, only 58% of people believed in the effectiveness of depression medication. And for seniors, depression can sometimes be mistaken as a normal part of aging, but it’s not.

A quick depression screening given in the comfort of your home can help bridge these gaps, says Detroit–based family nurse practitioner Patricia Wells, FNP, who leads Health and Well-being Assessments with Matrix Medical Network.

“I find that people tend to feel more comfortable talking about more in-depth questions and issues when they’re at home,” Wells says.

As part of your annual Health and Well-being Assessment with a Matrix clinician, you may receive a depression assessment. Here’s what you can expect:

What happens during a screening?

A basic depression assessment is a standard part of a physical exam at your doctor's office and during a Health and Well-being Assessment. It involves a quick, simple questionnaire. You’ll be asked two questions:

In the past two weeks, have you felt depressed or hopeless?
Have you been experiencing little interest in doing things you usually enjoy?

These are the first two questions of the longer Public Health Questionnaire (also known as PHQ-9).

Based on your responses, if no issues are reported, the depression screening may stop there. But if you indicate that you’ve had these feelings, the next step is the full PHQ-9 assessment.

What questions are involved in the full depression assessment?

The full questionnaire asks about common depression symptoms that might not always be obvious. You’ll be asked whether you’ve experienced any of the following in the past two weeks, and how often: not at all, several days, more than half the days, or nearly every day.

Little interest or pleasure in doing things
Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much
Feeling tired or having little energy
Poor appetite or overeating
Feeling bad about yourself or that you’ve let yourself or your family down
Trouble concentrating on tasks like reading or watching TV
Moving or speaking so slowly that others notice, or feeling restless
Thoughts of self-harm or that you would be better off dead

Your answers will be scored on a scale from 0 to 27. This helps your Matrix clinician and other health care providers understand the severity of any depression:

0-4: None
5-9: Mild
10-14: Moderate
15-19: Moderately severe
20 or more: Severe

During your health assessment, your Matrix clinician will also ask how these symptoms impact your daily life, relationships, and work (if you’re not retired). Depending on your answers, your Matrix clinician may recommend seeking the help of your primary care provider and/or a mental health specialist. They can also share community mental health resources that may help you.

I don’t feel depressed. Why is screening important to me?

Taking a depression screening can help you gain a clearer understanding of subtle symptoms you might not have linked to depression before.

Maybe you’ve noticed changes in your sleep or concentration and thought it was just part of aging. A quick questionnaire can reveal that there might be more going on, and that’s when help becomes available.

Most important, it opens the door for conversation. By doing this as part of your at-home Matrix visit, you’ll receive tailored advice that fits your lifestyle and that you can act on right away.

Building a relationship with a clinician you trust is key, too. “What I love about working in primary preventive care is that you can develop a relationship with your patients and really get to know them, which helps to pinpoint when something is off,” says Wells.

“As a provider, I can generally sense when something is going on without even having to do the full assessment,” she continues. “But to make sure I’m correct, the screening is important, and I do see value in asking these questions.”

This communication does not guarantee beneﬁts and does not indicate all services received will be covered by your plan. Please refer to your Evidence of Coverage or call Customer Care at the number on the back of your Humana ID card to conﬁrm that the service will be covered by your plan.

See our sources:
Depression rates: World Health Organization
Treatment rates: Mental Health America
Stigma rates: Journal of Clinical Medicine Research
Questionnaire: American Psychological Association