Pattern of Sociodemographic and Clinical Attributes of Patients with Depression in Diabetes Mellitus in a University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria

Abstract

Summary:

Improved knowledge of the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients with depression in diabetes mellitus can assist patients, carers and policy makers in the prevention and care of these patients leading to better overall outcome for subjects with diabetes mellitus. This was a cross sectional descriptive study of 250 patients with diabetes mellitus who were recruited by simple random sampling via ballotting, administered the socio-demographic/clinical Questionnaire, then screened with the General Health Questionnaire 12. They were then administered with the Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (Depression module) administered to generate diagnoses of depression. They also had the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule II Questionnaire. Prevalence rate of depression in the sample was 24.4 %. The mean age of depressed subjects was 49.97 ±11.044 years while it was 52.23 ±9.81 years for subjects not depressed. There was statistically significant association between medication adherence and not developing depression in diabetes mellitus (p= 0.048). Development of disability and depression in diabetes mellitus was also statistically significant (p=0.001). Depression is very prevalent in adult diabetes mellitus patients and requires close attention, identification and treatment. Medication adherence protects subject from developing depression in diabetes mellitus. Subjects with depression in diabetes mellitus are more likely to have disability.