An Empirical Study on Diabetes Depression over Distress Evaluation Using Diagnosis Statistical Manual and Chi-Square...

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases
• Psychiatry and Mental Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Diabetes distress and psychosocial distress are significant comorbidities in diabetes management, often hindering self-care and glycemic control.
• Nigerian healthcare predominantly focuses on the medical aspects of diabetes, neglecting crucial psychosocial support.
• Understanding the prevalence and correlates of diabetes distress and depression is vital for effective diabetes care in diverse populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of diabetes-specific distress and depression among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in Northwestern Nigeria.
• To identify the types of distress (emotional, interpersonal, physician, regimen) most prevalent in this patient population.
• To examine the correlation between diabetes distress, depression, and demographic/lifestyle factors (age, gender, exercise, smoking, diabetes history).

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study involving 712 T2DM patients in Northwestern Nigeria.
• Utilized the Diabetes Distress Screening (DDS) scale for diabetes-specific distress.
• Employed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and DSM criteria for depression assessment.
• Statistical analyses included Chi-square tests and linear regression to determine prevalence ratios and correlations.

Main Results:

• A high prevalence of diabetes-specific distress (88.20%) and depression (90.15% by BDI, 22.06% by DSM) was observed.
• Emotional distress (28.96%) was the most common type, followed by interpersonal, physician, and regimen distress.
• Significant correlations were found between depression and severe distress (p < 0.001).
• Prevalence of distress and depression was linked to age, gender, diabetes history, physical exercise, and smoking.

Conclusions:

• Diabetes distress and depression are highly prevalent in Nigerian T2DM patients, with emotional distress being most common.
• Findings underscore the urgent need for integrating psychosocial care into routine diabetes management in Nigeria.
• The study highlights the importance of considering sociocultural factors in low-resource settings for effective T2DM patient screening and care.