Depression and Diabetes in a Primarily African American Female Population

Abstract

Depression is one of the most serious mental health comorbidities associated with diabetes. In this pilot study, we describe the associations identified via a cross-sectional survey among demographic variables, depression, self-efficacy, and glycemic control in a primarily minority population (mean age = 57.9 years; n = 30) with diabetes mellitus. Descriptive, bivariate, and correlation analyses were conducted. A significant inverse relationship was detected between depression and self-efficacy; however the relationship between depression and A1C was not significant. The implications of these findings include the need for interventions that regularly screen for depression and self-efficacy in persons diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, especially in the earlier years of diagnosis.