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 (P < 0.001). On binary logistic regression analysis, Saudi ethnicity, female sex, and age 18–29 years were more likely to be associated with depression (P < 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.