Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) Assessment

The PHQ-15 is a self-report survey that measures the severity of physical symptoms like pain and fatigue. It helps doctors screen for somatic disorders and track patient health.

Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) somatic symptom screening PDF form
PHQ-15

Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15)

The Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) is a self-administered scale that screens for somatic symptom severity. Covering 15 common physical complaints, it helps clinicians assess somatisation levels quickly. It’s a reliable tool for monitoring patient progress in primary care settings.

Category

Mental health
Physical health
Diagnostic

Disease

Assessment
Mental Health
Clinical Measurement

Source

(Kroenke et al., 2002)

Author Name

Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R.L. & Williams, J.B.W. (2002)

What is Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15)

The Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) is a trusted tool for checking physical symptoms. It helps doctors measure somatic symptom severity effectively. This brief survey focuses on fifteen common physical complaints that account for more than ninety percent of visits to primary care clinics. Patients rate issues like stomach pain, back pain, and fatigue on a simple scale with three options ranging from "not bothered at all" to "bothered a lot." Scores are tallied to measure overall somatic severity, where higher numbers indicate a greater level of physical distress. It is easy to hand out in busy clinics since it takes very little time to finish. Clinicians use it to track changes over time or screen for somatisation disorders without needing long interviews. This makes it a practical choice for guiding ongoing patient care and adjusting treatment plans.

PHQ-15 Scoring

The PHQ-15 can be scored using one main approach: calculating the total symptom severity score based on patient responses. You will tally up ratings for the 15 somatic symptoms. Each item gets a 0 for not bothered at all, 1 for bothered a little, or 2 for bothered a lot. When you add them up, the total ranges from 0 to 30. Scores of 5, 10, and 15 represent cutoffs for mild, moderate, and severe somatic symptom severity. It is a handy way to track how physical complaints impact a patient's daily life in the clinic.

View scoring form

Advantages

Diagnostic accuracy

Enables precise identification of patient health status.

Efficient collection

Streamlines research data gathering process.

Health monitoring

Tracks patient condition changes systematically.

Reliable data

Provides consistent measurements for clinical research.

5
Minutes
15
Questions

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Digitise the PHQ-15 to easily track somatic symptom severity. Automate scoring and monitor patient progress.

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