About this tool
- •The WHO-5 is a 5-item, free, validated wellbeing index used worldwide — distinct from PHQ-9 in that it measures positive states rather than negative symptoms.
- •Items measure subjective wellbeing across the past 2 weeks. Each item is scored 0-5 (raw range 0-25), which is multiplied by 4 to produce a 0-100 percentage.
- •Lower scores indicate poor wellbeing. Cutoff: scores below 50% (raw <13) suggest likely depression and warrant further evaluation.
- •The WHO-5 is useful in two clinical contexts: as a screening tool for patients who might not endorse classic depression symptoms, and as a longitudinal outcome measure (it's sensitive to change).
- •It's frequently used alongside PHQ-9 — patients can score high on PHQ-9 (lots of depression symptoms) AND high on WHO-5 (some preserved wellbeing), which has different prognostic implications than scoring high on PHQ-9 with low WHO-5.
- •WHO-5 was developed by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. It is in the public domain.
Take the WHO-5
Please indicate for each of the five statements which is closest to how you have been feeling over the last two weeks.
0 of 5 answered
Your answers are processed in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent to anyone — including Tovani — until you choose to.
Frequently asked
Why does WHO-5 measure positive states instead of negative symptoms?
Two main reasons: (1) Some patients don't endorse classic depression symptoms even when wellbeing is low — depression can present as anhedonia or numbness rather than sadness. (2) Measuring positive states is more sensitive to clinical change over time — patients often regain wellbeing items earlier than negative symptoms resolve. Both PHQ-9 and WHO-5 are useful together.
Can my WHO-5 be low without me having depression?
Yes. Persistent stress, chronic medical illness, sleep deprivation, grief, life transitions, and burnout can all produce low wellbeing without meeting depression criteria. The WHO-5 plus a depression-specific screen like the PHQ-9 helps differentiate "low wellbeing" from "clinical depression" — different treatment directions.
My score is high but I still feel something's off. What now?
The WHO-5 measures broad wellbeing. Specific symptoms (anxiety, intrusive thoughts, sleep problems, sexual dysfunction) can be present alongside generally preserved wellbeing. Targeted screens — GAD-7 for anxiety, PCL-5 for trauma, SAPAS for personality patterns — may be more sensitive to what you're experiencing.
How often should I retake this?
Monthly is reasonable for tracking change during treatment. Daily or weekly is too frequent — the items reference "the past 2 weeks" and aren't designed for very-short-term tracking. For longitudinal use during treatment, taking the WHO-5 + PHQ-9 together monthly provides a useful clinical picture.
Will ketamine improve my WHO-5 score?
For patients with treatment-resistant depression where WHO-5 is low because of depression, yes — typically within the first 1-2 sessions, alongside PHQ-9 improvement. The wellbeing improvement is often described as feeling "lighter" or "more alive" rather than absence of sadness. The WHO-5 is a useful tool for tracking this dimension of response.
References
- Murrough JW et al. 2013, American Journal of Psychiatry. Ketamine RCT in treatment-resistant depression — wellbeing-related outcomes tracked alongside core depression response showed rapid improvement. PMID 23982301
- Sanacora G et al. 2017, JAMA Psychiatry. APA consensus on ketamine in mood disorders — discusses wellbeing recovery as an outcome dimension distinct from rated depression severity. PMID 28249076