PREVALENCE OF DEPRESSION AMONG TYPE II DIABETIC PATIENTS AT IMAM AL-HASAN CENTER IN KARBALA

Abstract

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a condition marked by a non-autoimmune, heterogeneously progressive loss of sufficient insulin production from islet β cells, often accompanied by metabolic syndrome1 and insulin resistance. Depression is a mood disorder characterized by a persistent absence of interest. Depression is a prevalent comorbidity of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The International Prevalence and Treatment of Diabetes and Depression study determined that the prevalence of major depressive disorder in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitius was approximately 10.6%. Method: A cross-sectional study conducted at Imam Al-Hasan Center for Endocrinology and Diabetes in Karbala City, Iraq, over a period from April 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025. A total of 350patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) were included in the study. Results: The present study included a total of 350 diabetic patients. The mean age of the participants was 56.35±10.40 years. (71%) of study participants scored high for depression. Severe and Moderately severe was about half of the participants, (23%) showed Moderate severity and 20% showed Mild severity, while 9% had no depression. Female participants (p=0.015), housewives occupation (p=0.025), good income (p=0.008), Diabetes Complication (p<0.001) increased mean HbA1c (p=0.023), all had significantly higher Mean Depression Scores. Conclusion: Approximately 71 % of type 2 diabetic patient show signs of potential depression. Nearly half of them exhibited severe depression. The study identified significant associations between depression severity and several variables including gender, occupation, income, HbA1c level, presence of diabetic complications, comorbid diseases, and elevated stress levels. Female patients, housewives, individuals with lower income, those with poor glycemic control, and patients suffering from complications or comorbidities had significantly higher depression scores.