Depression in Diabetic Patients

Background: Diabetes mellitus has a strong association with the presence of depression. Psychiatric morbid ity and especially depression are believed to be important aspects of diabetes influencing upon treat ment course and prognosis. To determine the prevalence of depression in adult diabetic popula-tions and compare nondiabetic population, we performed the current study. Methods: Three hundred eighty four diabetic patients from a diabetic research center in Hamedan, Iran and 384 nondiabetic participants involved in this cross-sectional study. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to evaluate depression. Results: The diabetic patients group had a significant higher mean BDI score than that of the nondia-betic group. In addition, patients with diabetes type I had a significant higher mean BDI score than that of the diabetic patients type II. Outcome showed the prevalence of mean BDI score was 29/4% in fe males compared with 21.8% in males. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of this point for healthcare workers to understand how diabetic patients experience depression, which is a prerequisite for communication based on a shared understanding. This awareness would enhance nurses` opportunities to alleviate suffering.