Abstract

Background: The World Health Organization estimates the population with diabetes to increase to 366 million by 2030 worldwide, with a maximum of 79.4 million Indians. Depression is an undiagnosed comorbidity leading to significant disability, noncompliance, and postulated to cause poorer glycemic control.
Objective: To detect depression and its associated cofactors among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.
Materials and Methods: In an observational study, 312 randomly selected T2DM patients were evaluated at a tertiary care center in Northern India. Sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected. Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale was used to detect depression. Groups with and without major depression were compared for various diabetes variables. Statistical analysis was carried out using the SPSS version 14.0. Result: One-third patients with T2DM (32.05%) suffered from major depression. Female sex, lower education level, lower monthly household income, unmarried or divorced/widowed individuals, and unemployment were the significant risk factors for major depression in patients with T2DM. Conclusion: Depression is a common under-recognized, underdiagnosed, and undertreated comorbidity associated with diabetes. Identification and management of depression and its associated risk factors form an essential integral part of holistic management of diabetes.