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Standard health surveys you're already using might catch anxiety and depression too. A large cross-national study found that generic patient-reported outcome measures — especially the EQ-5D-5L — can reliably screen adults for anxiety and depression across 15 countries. The findings suggest health systems may not need separate, condition-specific tools to flag mental health concerns.
Could the health surveys already in use do double duty for mental health screening? A new study published in Quality of Life Research says yes — at least for anxiety and depression. Researchers analyzed data from over 68,000 adults across 15 countries and found that generic patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), particularly the EQ-5D-5L, performed well in distinguishing individuals with a history of anxiety or depression from those without.
The EQ-5D-5L's anxiety/depression component stood out as the most consistently strong performer, with accuracy scores (AUROC) ranging from 0.71 to 0.88 depending on the country and condition. The PROMIS-10's emotional problems item also showed solid screening potential. China was a notable exception, with lower performance across all tools — likely reflecting cultural differences in how mental health symptoms are expressed and reported.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Mental health conditions are vastly underdiagnosed globally. If routine health surveys can flag anxiety and depression without requiring additional screening tools, health systems could identify at-risk patients earlier — and more efficiently — especially in resource-limited settings.
