The Patient Health Questionnaire 12 Somatic Symptom scale as a predictor of symptom severity and consulting behaviour in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and symptomatic diverticular disease

Anxiety, depression and nongastrointestinal symptoms are often prominent in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but their relative value in patient management has not been quantitatively assessed. We modified the Patient Health Questionnaire 15 (PHQ-15) by excluding three gastrointestinal items to create the PHQ-12 Somatic Symptom (PHQ-12 SS) scale.To compare the value of the PHQ-12 SS scale with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale in...