How often should depression screening be performed in routine healthcare?

• A. Annually
• B. Every 5 years
• C. Only during hospital admission
• D. Routine healthcare visits/individual risk factors

Answer: (D)

Screening for depression belongs in everyday health care and should be guided by how at-risk the patient is. In practice, clinicians use brief screening during routine visits and decide how often to screen based on risk factors such as a prior history of depression, chronic illness, substance use, or significant life stressors. This approach catches symptoms early and connects people to care, rather than limiting screening to hospital stays or to a fixed interval like every year or every five years. If a screening score is positive, it prompts a fuller assessment and appropriate follow-up. Tools like PHQ-2 or PHQ-9 are commonly used to do this efficiently in primary care.