Prevalence of depression among patients with type 1 diabetes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an emerging global health crisis, and its prevalence is expected to increase significantly over the next few decades. The interaction of DM with depression is a cause for concern, as patients suffering from the former have a notably higher tendency to develop depression; these especially include cases of type 1 diabetes mellitus.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of depression in type 1 diabetes mellitus patients in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

This cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with type 1 diabetes in Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among patients using an online survey. The questionnaire includes sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., age, gender, education) and the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) to assess the occurrence of depression among patients.

Of the 300 type 1 diabetic patients, 57.7% were males, and 28.3% were between 25 and 34 years old. The prevalence of DM type 1 patients, who had depression, was 14%, with the majority having minimal depression (58%), followed by mild (28%). Depression was significantly more common in patients with a bad or fair self-rated health status and those who were not taking medication. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, not taking medication was identified as a significant predictor of depression, while good-to-excellent self-rated health status was recognized as a significant preventive factor for depression.

The prevalence of depression among type 1 diabetic patients was lower than that in the literature. Patients with fair-to-bad self-rated status and those who were not taking medications were associated with the risk of developing depression. Psychological screening, as well as diabetic education, are crucial components of care for this population.