Google announced the development of a service that will help patients who suspect a clinical depression.

The main symptoms of this disorder are called the "depressive triad": it includes constantly low mood, mental disorders and motor retardation.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 300 million people worldwide are suffering from depression.

To users who sent a request to Google "clinical depression", the search engine will offer to pass a special questionnaire PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire). It is based on the American Diagnostic Manual on Mental Disorders DSM-IV. The questions will allow to evaluate nine basic diagnostic criteria of clinical depression.

The developers emphasize that the result of the online test can not be considered the final diagnosis. He can only serve as a recommendation for a doctor. According to representatives of Google, the test will raise the level of awareness of users about mental disorders. For those who, after passing the test, decide to visit the doctor, the questionnaire will help to build a dialogue with a specialist and describe their feelings.

Studies show that people increasingly prefer not to consult a doctor, and instead look for symptoms of diseases in the search engines. In 2015, 21% of the British respondents reported that they tried to diagnose themselves using the Internet. Although online surfing does not replace the advice of a doctor, this habit is likely to continue to spread.

Source: naked-science. En.

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