The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently recommended that all adults be screened for depression by their primary care physicians as a preventative measure and a means of identifying and treating symptoms early on. At Maze Health, we routinely screen our patients for depression and anxiety.
The screening has often made us aware of these conditions in patients and corroborated what we observed firsthand. Whether or not they are aware of the symptoms and the negative impact on their lives, a significant number of patients have never brought this up to any clinician nor sought help.
And while most patients do not present as clinically depressed, the testing has enabled our patients to better understand their symptoms, potential treatment options and the benefits they may experience from medication, therapy, or a combination of the two.
We’ve been able to make dramatic differences in many of our patients’ lives by screening for depression and anxiety and then helping them make decisions to manage it.
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