This section provides you with information on mental illness in Canada. It contains questionnaires and assessment tools that are relevant for working with immigrant and refugee populations.

Tools

• Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
  This questionnaire, a commonly used screening tool for depression in primary care, is particularly useful for working with immigrants and refugees. It is also available in multiple languages.
• PCL-C-17
  This is a standardized self-report rating scale for PTSD comprising 17 items that correspond to the key symptoms of PTSD. It can be modified to fit specific time frames or events.
• Harvard Trauma Questionnaire
  This is a checklist that inquiries about a variety of trauma events, as well as the emotional symptoms considered to be uniquely associated with trauma. Questions 1 through 16 of the PTSD portion are particularly relevant.

Resources

• Assessments for trauma and mental health in refugees
  This outlines different tools, including scales, questionnaires, inventories and checklists, which are applicable to refugee populations.