Association Between Patient Health Questionnaire-4 Composite Score and Depression Diagnoses in a Free Clinic Setting
Pooled Cross-sectional Study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19265508 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sri Varsha Katoju (University of Florida Health, corresponding author), Jessica Diana (University of Central Florida, corresponding author), Elijah Moothedan (Florida Atlantic University), Avaneesh Kunta (0009-0002-5525-6997, University of Central Florida), Oliver Nguyen (0009-0005-3826-3839, University of Florida Health), Anshul Daga (0000-0003-3667-3082, University of Florida Health), Kartik Motwani (0000-0003-1893-8235, University of Florida), David Feller (University of Florida Health) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-22 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Community Mental Health Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0010-3853 • E-ISSN: 1573-2789 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10597-026-01662-1 |
| PMID | 42171962 |
| OpenAlex | W7162110442 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 64 |
This study aimed to examine the predictive validity of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) in identifying depression diagnoses among patients in a student-run free clinic (SRFC) setting. This pooled cross-sectional study utilized electronic health record data from the Equal Access Clinic Network, a network of SRFCs affiliated with the University of Florida. All adult patients who completed PHQ-4 screening questions between October 2015 and February 2020 and had a corresponding ICD-10 diagnostic code were included ( n = 2,498). The PHQ-4 composite score, calculated from binary responses to four mental health screening questions, served as the primary independent variable. The primary outcome was provider-diagnosed Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), defined by ICD-10 code F32.9. A multivariable logistic regression model, adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, employment, and marital status, was used to evaluate the association between PHQ-4 scores and provider-diagnosed MDD. Higher PHQ-4 composite scores were significantly associated with increased odds of receiving an MDD diagnosis (adjusted OR = 2.047; 95% CI: 1.830–2.289; p
Depression (economics) · Diagnosis code · Ethnic group · Logistic regression · Major depressive disorder · Marital status · Medical diagnosis · Mental health · Odds · Odds ratio · Cancer survivorship and care · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Treatment of Major Depression
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |