In what circumstance would a clinician end the PHQ-2 without continuing to PHQ-9?

The PHQ-2, which consists of two questions, is a brief screening tool used to identify potential depression symptoms. If the patient’s responses indicate that the likelihood of clinically significant depression is low, the clinician may decide not to continue with the PHQ-9, which is a more comprehensive assessment.

In the context provided, the correct answer reflects a situation where both responses in Column 2 (A and B) indicate minimal indication of depression. Specifically, when both A and B equal 1, this suggests that the patient shows only slight signs of depressive symptoms, meaning that it's appropriate for the clinician to conclude that further assessment with the PHQ-9 may not be necessary.

The primary goal of using the PHQ-2 is to quickly identify those who may need more in-depth evaluation. If both responses indicate low severity, it points towards a lower likelihood of significant depression, affirming that the clinician can confidently end the assessment process there without progressing to the more detailed PHQ-9 questionnaire.