Document Type
DNP Project
Department
School of Nursing
Date of Degree
Spring 2025
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Primary Advisor
Cynthia Awadzi DNP, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC
Keywords
Mental Health Screening; Adolescents; Primary Care
Abstract
Background: Depression among adolescents is a significant public health concern yet is often undetected in primary care settings. The Patient Health Questionnaire is a 9-item validated screening tool for depression that has demonstrated high efficacy across populations but continues to be underutilized in the pediatric primary care setting.
Objective: This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project proposes to implement the PHQ-9 screening tool in a pediatric primary care office and evaluate its impact on depression diagnoses.
Methods: The implementation of this project includes staff and provider education and pilot testing of this screening program. Data on the utilization of screening, depression diagnoses, and screening outcomes will be collected and analyzed to assess the efficacy of the intervention.
Results: This project aims to gain insight into the feasibility and impact of implementing the PHQ-9 screening for adolescent depression in the pediatric primary care setting as well as a full understanding of the current mental health needs of this population. The expected outcomes would lead to improved detection of depression through at least a 85% screening rate of eligible patients and initiation of relevant interventions depending on the patient’s PHQ-9 score.
Conclusion: Through the integration of the PHQ-9 screening for all pediatric primary care visits for patients 12-18 years old, this project aims to address the gap in adolescent mental health care where the findings may inform future efforts and lead to the standardization of mental health screening for this population.
Copyright Notice
©2025 Jenna Califa. All rights reserved.
Recommended Citation
Califa, J. (2025). Introducing Mental Health Screening to Primary Care Visits. , (). Retrieved from https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/son_dnp/168
Open Access
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