Prevalence of Depression among Diabetic Patients in Kanyakumari District

Abstract

Background: Depression is a common mental disorder   characterized by sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feeling of guilt or low self worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, feeling of tiredness and poor concentration. At its most severe         depression can lead to suicides, when mild, people can be treated without medicine. But when depression is moderate or severe they need medication and counseling. At least 350 million people live with depression and is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Depression is a significant co-morbid condition in chronic illness little is known about the prevalence of depression or depressive symptoms in the diabetic patients. The objective of the study is, to assess the prevalence of  depression among diabetic patients and to find out the   demographic factors associated with depression. 

Methodology: 100 diabetic patients aged (≥ 40 years) were examined who was coming to the rural health centre      Marappadi under the department of community medicine was included for the study. Depression was assessed by         administering the nine item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) 

Result: Majority of the participants (65%) are females, 55 % had primary education. Most of the were unemployed (66 %) and many of them belong to joint family (55 %). 32 %        participants had severe depression, 30 % were moderately severe depression and 18% were having moderate           depression. Among 32 % who had depression, 71 % were females. There is significant association with type of family    (p = 0.025) and occupation (p = 0.032) with depression. 

Conclusion: In our study the participants are mainly female. Depressive symptoms were more predominant in females they mostly belonging to joint family and were unemployed.