[Depressive symptoms and type 2 diabetes mellitus in outpatients of an Armed Forces hospital in Lima, Peru, 2012: a cross-sectional study].

BACKGROUND

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DB2) are more prone to poor quality of life, disability and even death. They also have a greater predisposition to depression compared with non-diabetic patients; as well as a favorable prognosis after mental health-oriented interventions.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to explore the presence of depressive symptoms in an outpatient population diagnosed with DB2 and military affiliation. Also, to examine the factors associated with the presence of depressive symptoms.

METHODS

We performed a cross sectional study in 108 people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in January 2012 in an outpatient sample of a military hospital. Depressive symptoms were assessed with Zung’s self-administered test. We used the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test to examine associations between depressive symptoms and factors of interest. We use crude and adjusted generalized linear models to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) for association between clinical and sociodemographic characteristics with the presence of depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 56.5% (95% CI: 46.6 to 66.0%). The bivariate analysis showed significant association between depressive symptoms and variables: sex, age and clinical complications of diabetes. Adjusted analysis showed that diabetic retinopathy [RP: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1-1.7], and diabetic neuropathy [RP: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1-1.7] were associated with a greater presence of depressive symptoms after taking into account sex of participants.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed a high prevalence of depressive symptoms in the study population, especially in female or elderly patients. This was also true among subjects with late complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus that likely represent the impact of the disease on quality of life and its ultimate effect being manifested as depressive symptoms. A multidisciplinary approach focusing on mental health-oriented aspects should be considered, as it could benefit the evolution of these patients in Peru.