WHO (Five) Well-Being Index
Subjective well-being is an important dimension of overall perceived quality of life and in its own right an important outcome of patient care. Using a short questionnaire as the WHO-5 can help to monitor emotional well-being in patients as part of clinical routine and enhance the likelihood of recognizing depression.
The WHO-5 Well-being Index is a short, self-administered questionnaire covering 5 positively worded items, related to positive mood (good spirits, relaxation), vitality (being active and waking up fresh and rested), and general interests (being interested in things). It has shown to be a reliable measure of emotional functioning and a good screener for depression.
Interpretation:
A score of 50 or below is indicative for low mood, though not necessarily depression. A score of 28 or below indicates likely depression and warrants further assessment (diagnostic interview) to confirm depression.