Effect of Depression on Diabetes Self-Care in Type 2 Diabetes Patients at a Saudi Teaching Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study.

AIM

This study aimed to assess the relationship between depression and diabetes, especially with regard to diabetes self-care, treatment compliance, and preventive care.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a cross-sectional survey of adult diabetes patients at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to assess depression.

RESULTS

A total of 346 patients were included: 266 (77%) women and 80 (23%) men. While 20/3465 (59%) patients were on oral hypoglycemic drugs (OHA), 71/346 (20%) were on OHA + insulin and 70/346 (20%) were on insulin alone ( < 0.001). On binary logistic regression analysis, Saudi ethnicity, female sex, and age 18-29 years were more likely to be associated with depression ( < 0.001). Patients receiving treatment with OHA alone, eating a healthy diet at least once a week, consuming five servings of fruits/vegetables at least once a week, complying with antidiabetic and antihypertensive treatment, and receiving retinal examination in the previous year were less likely to have depression.

CONCLUSION

Depression in diabetes is more likely in patients of young age who do take care to eat a healthy diet or comply with advice regarding drug therapy, exercise, and follow-up examinations.