title: [Identifying depression in the general population - a comparison of PHQ-9, PHQ-8 and PHQ-2].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the comparability of depression as defined by PHQ-9, PHQ-8 and PHQ-2 in the German general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The PHQ-9 was assessed in a representative sample (N = 2524). Depression diagnosis and depression severity as measured either by PHQ-9, PHQ-8 or PHQ-2 were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PHQ-8 and PHQ-9 performed comparably in identifying depressive persons, though there are slight differences in rating depression severity. In comparison, the PHQ-2 showed the best performance in the detection of any depressive disorder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PHQ-9 should be used in clinical settings, whereas in research and when persons are being approached via telephone/mail/internet the PHQ-8 is preferable. The PHQ-2 is recommended as a very economic and brief screener for depressive disorders.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinikum Leipzig AöR, Abteilung für Medizinische Psychologie und Medizinische Soziologie, Leipzig. Lena.Spangenberg@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spangenberg
authors.forename: Elmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brähler
authors.forename: Heide
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Glaesmer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult