Validation of Patient Health Questionnaire for depression screening among primary care patients in Taiwan.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of a Chinese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for the purpose of screening major depressive disorder (MDD) among primary care patients in Taiwan.

Method: A total of 1954 primary care patients completed the PHQ-9. Patients (n = 1532) were interviewed using the Schedule for Clinical Assessments in Neuropsychiatry and 17-item of Hamilton Rating Scale.