Prevalence of depressive symptoms and factors associated with it in type 2 diabetic patients: a cross-sectional study in China

BACKGROUND Depressive symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have attracted much attention in recent years, and negatively affect the health of diabetic patients in numerous ways. This study evaluated the prevalence rate of depressive symptoms in T2DM patients in Shanghai, and the potential factors that may be associated with depressive symptoms in this select population. METHODS A total of 865 T2DM patients were recruited from Longhua Street, Xuhui, Shanghai by simple random sampling, and all the patients were assessed with the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale to screen for depressive symptoms. Factors associated with depressive symptoms were analyzed by logistic regression. RESULTS Among the 865 patients (403 were male, 462 were female, average age 70.13 ± 20.33 years), 304 (35.1%) patients were categorized as having depressive symptoms. Rates of myocardial infarction and stress in one month were higher in the depressive symptoms group than in the non-depressive symptoms group by the X (2) test. Rates of patients having a job, having a college education or above, and sleeping less than 7 h/24 h day were also higher in the depressive symptoms group by the X (2) test. Body mass index, and levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, urea, creatinine, uric acid, and homocysteine were higher in the depressive symptoms group by the independent samples t test and non-parametric test. Sleeping hours, history of myocardial infarction, stress in one month, working status, and total cholesterol were significantly associated with depressive symptoms (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS In the Chinese population analyzed in this study, the prevalence rate of depressive symptoms in patients with T2DM was high. Further research on the relationship between diabetes and depressive symptoms is necessary in a wider Chinese population.