‘Just 10 minutes’: How Malaysians can screen for depression, anxiety; and how it can improve their NCD treatment

‘Just 10 minutes’: How Malaysians can screen for depression, anxiety; and how it can improve their NCD treatment



Psychiatrist Dr Lee Chung Wah said these four questions are a standardised screening tool for anxiety and depression, and are designed to be completed within 10 minutes. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Friday, 26 Sep 2025 12:07 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 — Did you know you can do a quick test in just 10 minutes to see if someone could have depression or anxiety?

All you need to do is just answer four simple questions.

Dr Lee Chung Wah, senior lecturer in psychiatry at Taylor’s University, said these two questionnaires — known as “PHQ-2” and “GAD-2” — are very practical and can be easily used without medical training.

“Maybe yourself, maybe a social worker, maybe even an imam as well. They can actually use something like that,” the psychiatrist told Malay Mail.


Dr Lee said these two questionnaires are a good starting point as a screening tool, but you will need a doctor to diagnose whether a person actually has depression or anxiety.

Based on the results, Dr Lee said those who answered the questions can be encouraged to seek help: “And then you say that, ‘Hey, I think you are not very well. This could be depression, you know, you may have to talk to your doctors or your family doctors.’”




If the PHQ-2’s total score is more than three, you can proceed to use the “PHQ-9” test, which is also used as a screening tool for depression.


If the GAD-2’s total score is more than three, you can proceed to use the “GAD-7” test, which is also used as a screening tool for anxiety.


What do the test results mean?

Dr Lee stressed that all these four questionnaires cannot replace medical professionals’ role in diagnosing whether a person actually has anxiety and depression or not.

You will also need a medical professional such as a psychiatrist to diagnose and find out the actual cause of the anxiety and depression before treating it, he said.

So the next step you should do is talk to your family doctor (in government clinics) or to your general practitioner (in private clinics), and they will refer you to a counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist if necessary, he said.

He noted the problem where some who had significant scores on these questionnaires do not actually seek medical help in the end, as they see mental disorders as taboo or feel the stigma of seeing a psychiatrist.

How non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are interconnected with mental health

In his talk titled “The 10-Minute Fix: How Brief Mental Health Screens Transform NCD Outcomes” at the recent Noncommunicable Diseases Malaysia Conference 2025, Dr Lee said studies have shown mental health to be closely linked to non-communicable diseases (namely, the “big four” - cancer, diabetes, heart diseases, chronic respiratory diseases).

He said the “Big Four” NCDs and mental disorders also share the same risk factors linked to a person’s lifestyle: physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, tobacco and alcohol.

For example, he said those who had previously experienced heart attacks may be more prone to develop anxiety or depression, as they may think they are nearing the end of their life.

“Every time they feel breathless, they may think it is a heart problem. They can keep on visiting the emergency department, saying ‘that I got a heart attack again’,” he told Malay Mail, explaining that doctors would then find that it was not a heart issue and that the patient could have experienced a panic attack due to anxiety.

When a person is fearful after a heart attack and it triggers anxiety, he said this could lead to depression: “And when you (have prolonged anxiety), what will happen to you? You cannot enjoy life. You are sad all the time. So eventually depression also can set in as well.”

Dr Lee proposed integrating the brief 10-minute screening of mental health when nurses and doctors manage a patient’s NCD, such as at a clinic for heart diseases.

He said nurses at the counter could do the 10-minute screening, while the doctor could then use the more comprehensive screening tools “PHQ-9” and “GAD-7 “ if the patient’s answers suggest possible depression or anxiety.

The doctor can refer the patient to a counsellor, psychologist or a psychiatrist if necessary.

He said this method would proactively identify patients with mental health problems and prevent them from falling through the cracks, instead of waiting for them to ask for help when most of them may not even know they have this problem.

Why the 10-minute test will improve a patient’s NCD treatment

Dr Lee said that the brief screening would enable early detection and early intervention for mental health issues.

“And by controlling the mental health problem, they find that the outcome for whatever NCDs they are treating also will be better.

“Because they are more willing to cooperate, more motivated to take medication, more motivated to get well. That’s how mental health is actually impacting on the NCDs,” he told Malay Mail.

For example, there could be patients who are anxious about the potential side-effects of taking medicine for their hypertension, but having improved mental health would improve their adherence to the NCD treatment, he said.

Another benefit of doing the mental health screening is that you can ultimately reduce healthcare expenses for patients and the healthcare system, as issues are identified early and you can avoid costly hospitalisation and complications in the long run, he said.

He summed up the 10-minute test’s benefits as leading to “lower cost, lesser work, better results”.

*If you are lonely, distressed, or having negative thoughts, Befrienders offers free and confidential support 24 hours a day. A full list of Befrienders contact numbers and state operating hours is available here: www.befrienders.org.my/centre-in-malaysia. There are also free hotlines for young people: Talian Kasih at 15999 (24/7); Talian BuddyBear at 1800-18-2327(BEAR)(daily 12pm-12am); Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (03-2935 9935 or 014-322 3392); and Jakim’s Family, Social and Community Care Centre (WhatsApp 0111-959 8214).