Indigenous community care -- documented depression in patients with diabetes

This article reports on documented levels of depression among people with diabetes attending indigenous primary care centres.

Between 2005 and 2009, clinical audits of diabetes care were conducted in 62 indigenous community health centres from four Australian states and territories.

The overall prevalence of documented depression among people with diabetes was 8.8%. Fourteen (23%) of the 62 health centres had no record of either diagnosed depression or prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors among people with diabetes. For the remaining 48 centres, 3.3-36.7% of people with diabetes had documented depression.

The results of this study are inconsistent with the evidence showing high prevalence of mental distress among indigenous people. A more thorough investigation into the capacity, methods and barriers involved in diagnosing and managing depression in indigenous primary care is needed.