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Major Depressive Disorder in Primary Care: Systematic Screening and Diagnostic Accuracy
This activity will cover the systematic screening and diagnostic evaluation of major depressive disorder (MDD) in primary care. It reviews the consistent use and interpretation of validated screening instruments—including the PHQ-9 and HADS-D—to support rather than replace clinical diagnosis, and outlines a practical approach to differentiating MDD from psychiatric and medical conditions that can mimic it, such as bipolar disorder, dysthymia, and hypothyroidism, including when specialist referral is warranted.
This educational activity is supported by an independent medical educational grant from Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine.
Target Audience
This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of US-based family physicians and other primary care providers who screen for, diagnose, and manage major depressive disorder in adults.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be better able to:
- Consistently use and interpret validated screening tools (e.g., PHQ-9, HADS-D) to improve diagnostic accuracy for major depressive disorder (MDD) and reduce reliance on subjective clinical judgment in primary care.
- Differentiate MDD from other psychiatric and medical conditions (e.g., bipolar disorder, dysthymia, hypothyroidism, adjustment disorder) and determine when specialist referral is warranted.
Course summary
- 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™
Benjamin Silverberg, MD, MSc, FAAFP, FCUCM
Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
Benjamin Silverberg, MD, MSc, FAAFP, FCUCM discloses the following: The author has no conflicts of interest to disclose.
The faculty member involved in this activity has received honorarium in relation to their participation.
Medical writing support was provided by Dr. M. James.
Dr. M. James previously received compensation from Promiss Diagnostics and Pharmabase for writing support unrelated to this manuscript; these relationships have ended.
All other planners and reviewers involved in the development of this activity declared no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.
Accreditation Statement
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Credit Designation
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the enduring activity.
Educational Disclaimer
This activity is designed for educational purposes. Participants have a responsibility to utilize this information to enhance their professional development to improve patient outcomes. Conclusions drawn by the participants should be derived from careful consideration of all available scientific information. The participant should use his/her clinical judgment, knowledge, experience, and diagnostic decision-making before applying any information, whether provided here or by others, for any professional use.
Editorial Integrity & Conflict Resolution
This activity was reviewed in line with editorial integrity and publication ethics standards. Conflicts of interest were identified and resolved under John Wiley and Sons, Inc.'s Policy on Activity Disclosure and Conflict of Interest, primarily through review by an unconflicted expert. For accreditation information, contact [email protected].
AI Content Disclosure
Parts of this content were developed using Claude Opus 4.8 (July 2026) and reviewed and approved by the Wiley content strategist team, an external peer reviewer and faculty member. No clinical material was created using Claude or any other artificial intelligence.
Available Credit
- 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™