WHO-5
WELLBEINGWHO-5 Well-Being Index
Well-being index developed by the World Health Organization
5 questions·ende
Response Scale
5All of the time
4Most of the time
3More than half of the time
2Less than half of the time
1Some of the time
0At no time
Questions
Over the last 2 weeks:
1
I have felt cheerful and in good spirits
2
I have felt calm and relaxed
3
I have felt active and vigorous
4
I woke up feeling fresh and rested
5
My daily life has been filled with things that interest me
Scoring
Method: Sum Score
Max Score: 25
Severity Ranges
Low Well-Being0–12
Moderate Well-Being13–18
High Well-Being19–25
Raw score 0-25. Multiply by 4 to get percentage (0-100). Score below 13 suggests depression screening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the WHO-5?
The WHO-5 (World Health Organization Well-Being Index) is a short 5-item questionnaire measuring subjective psychological well-being. It was developed by the WHO Regional Office in Europe.
How is the WHO-5 scored?
Each item is rated 0–5. The raw score (0–25) is multiplied by 4 to obtain a percentage score from 0–100, where 0 represents the worst and 100 the best imaginable well-being. A score below 50 suggests poor well-being.
Why use the WHO-5 instead of a depression screener?
The WHO-5 measures positive well-being rather than symptoms, making it less stigmatizing and more acceptable to patients. It is also diagnosis-agnostic, capturing general distress regardless of the underlying condition.
Is the WHO-5 free to use?
Yes. The WHO-5 is freely available and can be used without cost or permission. Translations are available in over 30 languages.
