Depression Screening & PHQ-9 Flashcards
7 cards from real CCP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Depression Screening & PHQ-9 flashcards as text
A patient endorses PHQ-9 item 9 (suicidal ideation) with a score of 2 ('more than half the days'). What is the priority action?
Answer: Conduct an immediate safety assessment and develop a safety plan
Any endorsement of PHQ-9 item 9 requires immediate safety assessment regardless of the total score, including risk evaluation and safety planning.
Remission from depression as measured by the PHQ-9 is typically defined as a score of:
Answer: Less than 5
PHQ-9 remission is conventionally defined as a score of less than 5, corresponding to the minimal depression range.
The CCP care model recommends integrating depression screening into chronic care visits primarily because:
Answer: Comorbid depression worsens self-management, adherence, and health outcomes in chronic disease
Depression impairs self-management behaviors and medication adherence, directly worsening outcomes in chronic diseases such as diabetes, COPD, and heart failure.
A patient's PHQ-9 drops from 16 to 8 over 6 weeks of antidepressant treatment. How should the care manager document this?
Answer: Partial response with continued treatment indicated
A ≥50% reduction meets the definition of treatment response, but a score of 8 does not yet reach remission (<5), so partial response with ongoing treatment is appropriate.
Which of the following is an evidence-based collaborative care model that integrates PHQ-9 monitoring for depression in primary care?
Answer: IMPACT (Improving Mood–Promoting Access to Collaborative Treatment)
The IMPACT model is a landmark evidence-based collaborative care program shown to significantly improve depression outcomes using systematic PHQ-9 tracking.
A care manager uses the PHQ-9 with a patient who has moderate depression (score 12) but refuses medication. What is the most appropriate response?
Answer: Respect autonomy, educate about evidence-based psychotherapy options, and continue monitoring
Effective chronic care management respects patient autonomy while ensuring informed decision-making; psychotherapy is a validated first-line alternative to medication for moderate depression.
Which scenario BEST illustrates appropriate use of the PHQ-9 in chronic care management?
Answer: Administering the PHQ-9 at enrollment, reassessing every 4–8 weeks during treatment, and adjusting the care plan based on score trends
Optimal CCM depression care uses the PHQ-9 as a longitudinal monitoring tool with regular reassessment and treatment plan adjustments driven by score trends.