Improving Depression Screening in Adult Patients With Cancer

Depression in adult patients with cancer may lead to decreased treatment adherence, decreased quality of life, and possible suicidal ideation. Adequate screening can promote timely diagnosis and treatment of depression. A quality improvement project was implemented at a cancer center in which adult patients are diagnosed with and treated for cancer. A paper version of the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), a validated tool to screen for depression, was provided to patients during their scheduled appointment. A two-sample test of proportions was used to compare the proportion of patients screened before project implementation to the proportion of patients screened after project implementation. Depression screening rates increased from 2% before to 12% after project implementation. Frequent screening with the PHQ-9 should occur in adult patients with cancer to adequately identify depressive symptoms. Adequate screening will provide the necessary information for providers to make referrals to mental health services and allow patients to adhere to their treatment plans, improving their quality of life.