Depression among patients with diabetes mellitus in a Nigerian teaching hospital

摘要

Objectives . Depression is associated with diabetes mellitus and affects treatment goals negatively. We aimed to determine the prevalence of depression and identify its socio-demographic or clinical correlates among patients with diabetes mellitus attending an out-patient clinic in Nigeria. Methods . Two hundred consecutively recruited diabetes patients (index group) were compared with a similar number of apparently healthy controls in a cross-sectional survey. In both groups, in addition to obtaining socio-demographic details, depression was diagnosed using the Schedule for the Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN), while the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess depression symptom severity. Results . Sixty (30%) diabetes patients met a SCAN diagnosis for clinical depression, compared with 19 (9.5%) in the control group. Having a smaller income and more children were significantly correlated with higher depression symptoms on the BDI. Conclusion . Depression is highly co-morbid with diabetes mellitus. The care of individuals with diabetes mellitus should include the screening and possible treatment for depression in order to achieve and sustain treatment goals.