A growing body of evidence clearly supports the link between
diabetes and depression. A meta-analysis of 39 studies of
patients with diabetes reported an estimate of major depression
in 11% of the patients and elevated depressive symptoms in 31%.1
People with diabetes have double the odds of having depression,
compared with the general population.2 Predictors of depression
in patients with diabetes include female sex, younger age, less
education, lower income, smoking, obesity, and multiple diabetic
complications.1 It is important to recognize the link between
diabetes and depression for several reasons3,4: In addition to
these problems with clinical outcomes, patients with depression
may lack support from family or friends, have a negative view of
themselves, view barriers to medication use as overwhelming, or
perceive that the desired outcomes of treatment will not occur.
These problems greatly affect patients'ability to care for
themselves and achieve the desired outcomes of therapy. It is
not clear the ex