Anxiety: Clinical Tools

Text below adapted from The patient who is depressed in Psychiatry in primary care by Raymond W. Lam, (CAMH, 2019).

Screening Tools

A brief questionnaire such as the free, online Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) aids diagnosis ad assesses severity of the depression. As a screening tool, the PHQ-9 can assist in diagnosis, and also serve as a symptom severity tracker to help assess the effectiveness of the treatment plan.

Patient Health Questionnaire

The PHQ-9 can be used to plan and monitor treatment for depression in primary care.

Print Version 

GAD-7 The GAD-7 was developed as a brief scale for anxiety and scores common anxiety symptoms.
Print Version

Clinical Guidelines

• Canadian Anxiety Disorders Treatment Guidelines (2014)
• Generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults: management (NICE guideline CG113 2019)
• Social anxiety disorder: recognition, assessment and treatment (NICE guidelines CG159, 2013)

In Anxiety

• The Primary Care Practitioner Role
• Screening & Assessment
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
  • Pharmacotherapy
  • Psychotherapy
• Clinical Tools
• Resources & References