Lifetime depression and diabetes self-management in women with Type 2 diabetes: a case-control study

Little is known about the association between lifetime history of major depressive disorder (L-MDD) and diabetes self-management, particularly when depression is remitted. We examined the association between L-MDD and diabetes self-management in women with Type 2 diabetes who were not depressed at the time of assessment.

L-MDD was assessed with structured psychiatric interview. Participants completed paper-and-pencil measures of demographics, diabetes-related distress, self-care behaviours, healthcare utilization and diabetes self-efficacy.

One-hundred and fifty-three women participated; 41% had L-MDD. Compared with their never-depressed counterparts, women with L-MDD had more diabetes distress, reported lower overall rates of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) and greater tendency to skip SMBG, had lower diet adherence and were less likely to have seen a primary care provider in the past year. Diabetes self-efficacy mediated the relationship between L-MDD and self-management.

Interventions to promote self-management for patients with L-MDD may be warranted.