The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A widely used, validated 14-item self-report questionnaire that screens for anxiety and depression. It is divided into two 7-item subscales — one for anxiety (HADS-A) and one for depression (HADS-D) — each scored 0–21. A score of 8 or above on either subscale is generally considered a clinically significant level of symptoms, with higher scores indicating greater severity. The HADS was originally developed for use with hospital outpatients but is now used across a wide range of clinical settings, including cardiac rehabilitation and post-arrest follow-up. Completing a HADS is often the starting point for a conversation with a clinician about mental health support.
« Back to Glossary IndexHospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]
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