Depression Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Depression, including details on clinical depression, medication, symptoms, treatment, counselling, therapy.

Prevalence of depression among U.S. adults with diabetes: findings from the 2006 behavioral risk factor surveillance system.

Li C, Ford ES, Strine TW, Mokdad AH

Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA. cli@cdc.gov

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence rate of depression among adults with diabetes using a large population-based sample in the U.S. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Data from the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a standardized telephone survey among U.S. adults aged >or=18 years, were analyzed (n = 18,814). The Patient Health Questionnaire diagnostic algorithm was used to identify major depression. RESULTS: The age-adjusted prevalence rate of major depression was 8.3% (95% CI 7.3-9.3), ranging from a low of 2.0% in Connecticut to a high of 28.8% in Alaska. There were 25-fold differences in the rate among racial/ethnic subgroups (lowest, 1.1% among Asians; highest, 27.8% among American Indians/Alaska Natives). People with type 2 diabetes who were currently using insulin had a higher rate than people with type 1 diabetes (P = 0.0009) and those with type 2 diabetes who were currently not using insulin (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Major depression was highly prevalent among people with diabetes; the prevalence rate varied greatly by demographic characteristics and diabetes types.

Published 31 December 2007 in Diabetes Care, 31(1): 105-7.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Depression Research Today. All Rights Reserved.