People with diabetes at higher risk of getting depression and anxiety, study shows

BY FARHIRA FARUDIN

Having chronic illness such as diabetes can be difficult to be managed. The physical and mental accommodations it requires is already a burden on its own that a diabetic person may have to carry for a long term period. Dealing with mental health issues along with diabetes is something that is almost inevitable. Researchers have found that diabetic patients are at greater risk of having depression, anxiety and stress symptoms with nearly a third of the patients are considered as anxious.

In the research article published in BMC Family Practice, researchers have found the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms among Type II diabetics were 11.5%, 30.5% and 12.5% respectively. Almost a third of the patients participated in the study were associated more with anxiety in comparison to other mental health issues.

Participants of the study included 2246 Type II diabetic patients from up to 12 selected government primary care clinics located in the Klang Valley. Critierias required for the study were participants aged 30 years and above, diagnosed with Type II diabetes of at least six months and speaks Malay or English language.

The study to test the prevalence of mental health issues among the patients were measured using a self-administered short version of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). Participants were asked to rate their experience on the symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress over the past week using a scale which ranges from 1 (does not apply to me) to 3 (applies to me most or all the time.)

It was also revealed that aspects of sex, ethnicity, marital status, duration of diabetes, psychiatric illness in the family and alcohol consumption may have contributed to the possibilities of having depression while being diabetic.

Interestingly, the study also said the patients with diabetes for less than two years duration are more bound to be diagnosed with depression compare to those who had diabetes for a longer time.

The most apparent contributor to the possibility of mental health issues while being diabetic is having a family history or family member with psychiatric illness. It has been acknowledged in previous studies that mental illnesses in general tend to run within families.

Researches stated that although the prevalence of depression and stress symptoms were not as high as anxiety, it is highly suggested for high risk Type II diabetic patients to regularly check symptoms of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.