WHO-5 Well-Being Index Calculator
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WHO-5 Well-Being Index Calculator
How to Use the WHO-5 Calculator
Our WHO-5 Well-Being Index Calculator provides a quick and reliable way to assess your mental well-being and screen for potential depression. To use this tool effectively, answer each of the five questions based on how you have felt over the past two weeks. Rate each statement on a scale from 0 (not present) to 5 (constantly present), considering your overall experiences during this timeframe. The calculator will instantly compute your WHO-5 score as both a raw score out of 25 and a percentage, providing immediate insights into your psychological well-being status.
Key Features of Our WHO-5 Calculator
Validated Assessment Tool
- Based on the official WHO-5 Well-Being Index
- Scientifically validated for depression screening
- Used worldwide by healthcare professionals
- Reliable indicator of quality of life
Comprehensive Analysis
- Instant wellbeing level assessment
- Depression risk evaluation
- Personalized recommendations
- Visual score representation
Understanding the WHO-5 Well-Being Index
The WHO-5 Well-Being Index is a brief, five-question assessment tool developed by the World Health Organization to measure subjective well-being and screen for depression. This validated instrument focuses on positive aspects of mental health, evaluating mood, energy levels, sleep quality, and life satisfaction over the past two weeks. The WHO-5 has been extensively tested across different populations and cultures, making it one of the most reliable screening tools for mental health assessment available today.
The Five WHO-5 Questions
Interpreting Your WHO-5 Score
Your WHO-5 score ranges from 0 to 100 percent, with higher scores indicating better well-being. Understanding your score is crucial for recognizing your current mental health status and determining whether professional support might be beneficial. The WHO-5 uses specific thresholds to categorize well-being levels and identify potential depression risk.
WHO-5 Score Categories
A score of 50% or below may indicate depression and warrants further evaluation by a healthcare professional. This threshold has been validated in multiple studies as an effective screening criterion for identifying individuals who may benefit from mental health support.
Clinical Applications and Research
The WHO-5 Well-Being Index has been extensively studied and validated across diverse populations worldwide. Healthcare professionals regularly use this tool in clinical settings for depression screening, treatment monitoring, and quality of life assessment. Research has demonstrated its effectiveness in identifying depression with high sensitivity and specificity, making it a valuable first-line screening instrument.
Clinical Uses of WHO-5
Primary Care Screening
Initial assessment for depression and anxiety in general practice settings
Treatment Monitoring
Tracking progress during mental health treatment and therapy
Research Studies
Population health research and epidemiological studies
Improving Your Mental Well-Being
If your WHO-5 score indicates areas for improvement, there are many evidence-based strategies you can implement to enhance your mental well-being. These approaches focus on the key areas assessed by the WHO-5: mood, relaxation, energy, sleep, and life engagement.
Lifestyle Strategies
- • Maintain regular sleep schedule and good sleep hygiene
- • Engage in regular physical activity and exercise
- • Practice stress management and relaxation techniques
- • Maintain social connections and supportive relationships
Professional Support
- • Consult with mental health professionals for scores ≤50%
- • Consider therapy or counseling for persistent low scores
- • Discuss medication options with healthcare providers
- • Join support groups or peer counseling programs
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How often should I take the WHO-5 assessment?
The WHO-5 can be taken regularly to monitor changes in your well-being over time. Many mental health professionals recommend taking it weekly or monthly during treatment, or quarterly for general monitoring. The assessment asks about the past two weeks, so allow at least two weeks between assessments for meaningful comparisons.
Is the WHO-5 a diagnostic tool for depression?
No, the WHO-5 is a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. While scores of 50% or below may indicate depression risk, only qualified healthcare professionals can provide an official diagnosis. The WHO-5 helps identify when further evaluation might be beneficial and can be used alongside other assessment tools.
Can the WHO-5 be used for children and adolescents?
The WHO-5 was primarily developed and validated for adults. While some studies have explored its use in adolescents, it may not be as reliable for younger populations. For children and teenagers, age-appropriate screening tools specifically designed for their developmental stage are generally recommended.
What should I do if my WHO-5 score is very low?
If your score is 28% or below (very poor) or consistently 50% or below (poor), it's important to seek professional help. Contact your healthcare provider, a mental health professional, or a crisis hotline if you're experiencing thoughts of self-harm. Low scores indicate significant distress that can be effectively addressed with proper support and treatment.
Important Disclaimers
Medical Disclaimer: This WHO-5 Well-Being Index Calculator is for educational and screening purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The results are not a substitute for consultation with qualified healthcare professionals. If you are experiencing mental health difficulties, thoughts of self-harm, or crisis situations, please seek immediate professional help or contact emergency services.
Screening Tool Limitation: The WHO-5 is a validated screening instrument but not a comprehensive diagnostic tool. Mental health conditions are complex and require professional evaluation for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment planning. This calculator provides general guidance based on established research but cannot account for individual circumstances and co-occurring conditions.
Data Privacy: Your responses and results are processed locally in your browser and are not stored on our servers. However, always be mindful of your digital privacy when using online mental health tools, and consider using private browsing modes if sharing a device.
Did you know that...?
The WHO-5 Index Revolution: From "Mental Health Screening" to Global Well-Being Standard
The concept of measuring psychological well-being was revolutionized in the 1990s when Dr. Mogens Bech at the World Health Organization developed the WHO-5 Well-Being Index based on extensive cross-cultural research. This groundbreaking work, conducted on over 1 million subjects across 30 countries, revealed that psychological well-being could be measured using just 5 simple questions that were universally understood regardless of language, culture, or education level. The study showed that the WHO-5 was more accurate than complex psychological assessments for predicting depression, anxiety, and overall life satisfaction.
What makes this discovery particularly fascinating is how it changed the entire approach to mental health screening and well-being assessment. The research revealed that the WHO-5 could detect depression with 90% accuracy in just 2 minutes, making it the most efficient mental health screening tool ever developed. This led to the adoption of the WHO-5 as the gold standard for well-being measurement by healthcare systems worldwide and the realization that simple, culturally-sensitive tools could be more effective than complex psychological assessments. Today's WHO-5 calculators are used by millions of people worldwide and are recommended by the World Health Organization for mental health screening.
💡 Fun Fact: Dr. Bech's research was so influential that the WHO-5 is now used by NASA for astronaut mental health monitoring and is the foundation for all modern well-being assessments!