Prevalence of Depression among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and its associated Clinical Factors

INTRODUCTION: Type 2 diabetes mellitus has been linked to depression. However, this has been largely unrecognized and untreated. There are no current data available in the Philippine setting of the prevalence of the disease. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of depression among adult Filipino patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and investigate the different clinical factors associated with it. METHODOLOGY: This is a single-center, analytic cross-sectional study conducted at a tertiary hospital, with 476 patients aged above 18 years old diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus included. The Physicians Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) with a score of >5 was used to make a diagnosis of depression. RESULTS: Prevalence of depression among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus was 19.9%. Factors associated with increased odds of depression were having a post-graduate degree (p-value=0.012), presence of retinopathy (p-value=0.018), and higher MMA Score (lower adherence) (p-value=0.000). CONCLUSION: Depression is prevalent among Filipino patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. An integrated approach by the attending physicians and psychiatrists is required for the effective management of these patients.