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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Bonnie Lipton, MPH¹, James E. Aikens, PhD², and Denise White-Perkins, MD, PhD¹. (1) Institute on Multicultural Health, Henry Ford Health System, 1 Ford Place, #3E, Detroit, MI 48202, 313-874-6048, blipton1@hfhs.org, (2) Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, 1018 Fuller Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Background: Previous research demonstrates that both depression and African American race are associated with poor diabetes mellitus (DM) related outcomes. In addition, African Americans have been underrepresented in studies of diabetes-depression comorbidity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate associations between diabetes outcomes and depression in a racially-balanced sample of participants. Methods: Data were drawn from an ongoing longitudinal study of depression in patients with type 2 diabetes in a large urban health care system. Recruitment letters were sent to potentially eligible patients, followed by telephone screening and informed consent. Assessments of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9, or PHQ-9), diabetes-related quality-of- life (DQOL), and glycemic control (HbA1c) were measured at baseline and 24 weeks. Additional assessments of depression and diabetes self-care were measured at 8 and 16 weeks by telephone interviews. Results: Between January and December 2005, 95 participants completed the study. Of these, 44% were African American, 59% were male, and the mean age was 57 years. The mean HbA1c for both timepoints was 7.5% ±1.5. Using PHQ-9 guidelines, 16% of participants at baseline and 12% of participants at 24 weeks showed probable depressive disorder. Poor diabetes quality of life and probable depressive disorder were each significantly and independently associated with high HbA1c levels at both timepoints (p<.05). These associations were unaffected by race. Conclusion: Poor glycemic control is associated with poor diabetes related quality of life and greater depressive symptoms. Findings imply that efforts to improve patients' diabetes outcomes should address comorbid depression and quality-of-life issues.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify risk factors for comorbid depression among diabetes patients.
• Articulate the relationship between gylcemic control, depression, and diabetes related quality of life.

Keywords: Diabetes, Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered