The relationship between depressive symptoms, diabetes symptoms, and self-management among an urban, low-income Latino population.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of depression symptoms among Latinos with diabetes following transition from hospital to home and the relationship of depressive symptoms to diabetes symptom severity and self-management activities.


METHODS
203 Latino patients with diagnosed diabetes completed a survey assessing depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), diabetes symptom severity, and diabetes self-management activities (SDSCA). Characteristics and diabetes outcomes between patients with and without probable major depression were compared. Associations between PHQ-9 scores and diabetes outcomes were assessed. Multivariate regression models evaluated the relationship between depressive symptoms and diabetes outcomes and exercise after controlling for patient characteristics.


RESULTS
31.5% of participants indicated probable major depression (PHQ-9≥10). More severe diabetes symptoms and less reported exercise were associated with higher PHQ-9 scores. Regression models showed no relationship between self-management and depression. More severe diabetes symptoms were significantly associated with being female, married, and having probable major depression. Odds of exercising were reduced by 6% for every one-unit increase in PHQ-9 score.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of probable depressive symptoms is high in this population. Having depressive symptoms is an indicator of poorer diabetes symptoms. Screening for depressive symptoms may help identify individuals who need additional support with diabetes symptom and self-management.
Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Department of Family Medicine, Los Angeles, CA. Electronic address: annie.nguyen@med.usc.edu.
Annie L
AL
Nguyen
University of Southern California, Davis School of Gerontology, Los Angeles, CA.
Janelle
J
Green
University of Southern California, Davis School of Gerontology, Los Angeles, CA.
Susan
S
Enguidanos
D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003927:Diet, Diabetic / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D011203:Poverty / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018454:Spouses / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000208:ethnology
Depression; Diabetes; Latino health; Minority health; Self-management