Development of Type II Diabetes Mellitus

: a warning sign for Depression

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:   

To identify the risk factors and relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and depression.

INTRODUCTION:

People with type 2 diabetes compared to those without have double the chance to develop depression ¹. Diabetes leads to depression or vice versa, remains an unsolved puzzle. Although association between Diabetes and Depression have been declared since many years but there is no definite answer to the chicken and egg dilemma, to make it less complicated a few researchers have labeled the link between the two to be bidirectional² . Diabetes and depression have become common and the complications they bring along together leave deep psychological and physical imprints on their victims leading to functional limitation, poor quality of life and raised mortality rate.

METHODOLOGY:

The study was conducted at Ziauddin University Hospital over a period of six months, it is a cross sectional study.  Sample size of 100 was taken. A questionnaire was designed that evaluated age, gender, co morbids, occupation, marital status, compliance, education, weight and HbA1c levels of participants. SRQ 20 depression scale was used to diagnose depression. Data was entered and analyzed by version 20 of SPSS.

RESULTS:

Different demographic and social variables were assessed in this study. 36.5% patients out of the total sample were depressed.  The highest number of depressed people was found among elderly participants >60 years of age. 22 males and more than double i.e. 51 females were depressed. Obese patients (BMI>30) were found to have poor glycemic control. Illiteracy contributed to 48% (N=36) of the total depressed. The un-employed had two times more chance to develop depression as compared to participants who were employed. It was noticed that depression prevailed more among diabetic patients belonging to lower socioeconomic class. Marital status was highly significant in causing depression. P value= 0.001. Only 27% (34 out of 126) diabetic patients developed depression in the absence of any complications and 73% remained un depressed. Religious beliefs seemed to play a vital role in reduction of depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION:

Research suggests that co-morbid diabetes and depression is not a rare finding. Risk factors must be ruled out and the chances to develop depression should be identified at an earlier stage before complications worsen the condition. No more depression should go un-recognized and hence un treated in type 2 DM patients.

KEY WORDS: Depression, type 2 diabetes mellitus, risk factors