Date of Conferral
1-6-2025
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Anna Hubbard
Abstract
This doctor of nursing (DNP) project addressed a significant practice gap in an outpatient community healthcare setting, where staff lacked knowledge related to patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) depression screening. The project’s focus question addressed whether staff education increased knowledge pertaining to the PHQ-9 depression screening. The initiative aimed to equip healthcare providers with the skills needed to incorporate social determinants of health in routine depression screenings, enhancing early identification of depressive symptoms and supporting targeted interventions. Fifteen healthcare workers voluntarily participated in the education. The in-person education initiative highlighted the importance of integrating social determinants of health (SDoH) into PHQ-9 assessments to ensure patient-centered care, promote early detection, and improve diagnostic accuracy in depression. This proactive approach to mental health management aimed to bolster provider competence in recognizing both depressive symptoms and unmet social needs that influence mental health. Pre- and post-intervention knowledge assessments, along with statistical analysis using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS 27), revealed significant knowledge gains among participants, with a 7.5% increase in post-intervention score. The project produced a training curriculum and updated screening protocols, underscoring the importance of SDoH in depression assessments. Findings support ongoing training to sustain provider competence, advancing nursing practice by fostering health equity in mental health care. These changes promote a positive social impact by advocating inclusiveness, reducing health disparities, and acknowledging the broader spectrum of factors affecting patients' mental well-being .
Recommended Citation
Mojelope, Gbemisola Elizabeth, "Structured Staff Education on Incorporating Social Determinants of Health into PHQ-9 Depression Screening for Improved Patient Outcomes" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17049.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17049
