Symptoms of Depression Among Adults: United States, 2019

Abstract

Depression is characterized by the presence of feelings of sadness, emptiness, or irritability, accompanied by bodily and cognitive changes lasting at least 2 weeks that significantly affect the individual's capacity to function (1). The eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) is a validated diagnostic and severity measure of symptoms of depressive disorders (2,3). Adults with scores of 0-4 are considered to have no or minimal symptoms of depression, while those with scores of 5-9, 10-14, or 15-24 are considered to have mild, moderate, or severe symptoms, respectively (2,3). This report examines the percentage of adults aged 18 and over with symptoms of depression in the past 2 weeks in 2019, by symptom severity and select demographic characteristics, using the PHQ-8 scale.