GAD-7 (General Anxiety Disorder-7)

Measures severity of anxiety symptoms over the past 2 weeks

⚠️ IMPORTANT CLINICAL NOTE

This tool is intended for use by healthcare professionals only. While the GAD-7 may be administered to patients, it should be interpreted in the context of a clinical assessment and cannot replace a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation by a qualified mental health professional.

Ask the patient: "Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems?"

GAD-7 Results

Updated in real-time
Total GAD-7 Score
0
Minimal Anxiety
Anxiety Severity Spectrum
Minimal (0-4) Mild (5-9) Moderate (10-14) Severe (15-21)

Clinical Management Guidance

Score Range Symptom Severity Recommended Clinical Action
0-4 Minimal Routine monitoring; no specific intervention needed
5-9 Mild Monitor symptoms; consider watchful waiting or brief intervention
10-14 Moderate Further assessment (diagnostic interview, mental status exam) and/or referral to mental health professional recommended
15-21 Severe Active treatment (psychotherapy and/or pharmacotherapy) warranted; urgent assessment recommended
⚡ CRITICAL CLINICAL ACTIONS
  • This screening tool cannot replace a comprehensive clinical assessment and diagnosis
  • Always rule out medical causes of anxiety before diagnosing an anxiety disorder (e.g., EKG for arrhythmias, TSH for thyroid disease)
  • For Panic Disorder, Social Phobia, and PTSD, a cutoff score of 8 may provide optimal sensitivity/specificity
  • Consider suicide risk assessment in all patients with elevated anxiety scores