

Have you had sudden waves of fear or panic lately? This 15-question screen is the panic module of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), developed by Robert L. Spitzer, Janet B.W. Williams and Kurt Kroenke. It asks about anxiety attacks in the past four weeks and about the body sensations during your last bad attack, then tells you whether your answers meet the PHQ's panic syndrome screening criteria. It takes about two minutes.
Scientific background: Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JBW, for the Patient Health Questionnaire Primary Care Study Group. Validation and utility of a self-report version of PRIME-MD: the PHQ Primary Care Study. JAMA 1999;282:1737-1744. Panic module of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), developed by Drs. Robert L. Spitzer, Janet B.W. Williams, Kurt Kroenke and colleagues, with an educational grant from Pfizer Inc. No permission required to reproduce, translate, display or distribute. Chinese: PHQ Traditional Chinese for Hong Kong (phqscreeners.com). Learn more
This is a self-screening tool: the result is for reference only and is not a medical diagnosis. Panic symptoms can overlap with physical conditions, so please see a doctor about them. If you have severe or unexplained chest pain, call 999. In a crisis, call the Samaritans Hong Kong 24-hour hotline on 2896 0000.
Panic Attack Test (PHQ Panic Module)
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Answer yes or no to each question. The first four ask about anxiety attacks in the past four weeks; the rest ask about your last bad anxiety attack. If you have not had an anxiety attack in the past four weeks, answer “No” to question 1 — your other answers will then not affect the result, and you can answer “No” to them.
Questions about anxiety.
In the last 4 weeks, have you had an anxiety attack — suddenly feeling fear or panic?
If you answered “No” to question 1, answer “No” to the next three questions as well.
Has this ever happened before?
Do some of these attacks come suddenly out of the blue — that is, in situations where you don’t expect to be nervous or uncomfortable?
Do these attacks bother you a lot or are you worried about having another attack?
Think about your last bad anxiety attack. (If you have not had an anxiety attack, answer “No” to each question.)
Were you short of breath?
Did your heart race, pound, or skip?
Did you have chest pain or pressure?
Did you sweat?
Did you feel as if you were choking?
Did you have hot flashes or chills?
Did you have nausea or an upset stomach, or the feeling that you were going to have diarrhea?
Did you feel dizzy, unsteady, or faint?
Did you have tingling or numbness in parts of your body?
Did you tremble or shake?
Were you afraid you were dying?
Complete the assessment to open your report.
Results are for reference only and do not constitute a medical diagnosis — if you have concerns, please consult a doctor or mental-health professional.