Google and the National Alliance on Mental Illness have teamed up to increase access to a tool that allows people to screen themselves for clinical depression, reports CNBC.
People who type "clinical depression" into a Google search on a mobile device are now offered the option to take PHQ-9, a clinically validated screening questionnaire that tests what level of depression a person may be experiencing.
NAMI CEO Mary Giliberti said test results may help people take their first step toward treatment, including engaging in more informed conversations with their physicians.
"Clinical depression is a treatable condition which can impact many aspects of a person's life," Ms. Giliberti wrote in a Google blog post. "Statistics show that those who have symptoms of depression experience an average of a six to eight year delay in getting treatment after the onset of symptoms. We believe that awareness of depression can help empower and educate you, enabling quicker access to treatment."
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