Screening of patients with chronic medical disorders in the outpatient department for depression using handheld computers as interface and patient health questionnaire-9 as a tool

Abstract

It is feasible to use tablets with PHQ-9 questionnaire in native language for screening depression in chronic medical disorders. With high prevalence of comorbid depression, any comprehensive care of patients with chronic medical disorders will not be possible, unless such patients are screened and treated for depression. A self-administered screening questionnaire for depression on handheld tablets can prove to be a handy tool to achieve above aim.