The effect of major depression on preventive care and quality of life among adults with diabetes

Objective: To examine the association between major depression and preventive care practices and quality-of-life indices among adults with diabetes. Methods: Data from 16,754 participants with diabetes in the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey were examined. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the independent association between the presence of major depression and a range of (1) preventive care behaviors and (2) quality-of-life indices, after accounting for relevant covariates. Results: With regard to preventive care practices, women with major depression were less likely to have received a mammogram in the past 2 years [OR 0.60 (95% CI 0.45-0.79) for women age 40 years and older and OR 0.52 (95% CI 0.37-0.71) for women age 50 and older] relative to their counterparts without major depression. With regard to quality-of-life indices, individuals with major depression were less likely to perceive their health as good [OR 0.24 (95% CI 0.19-0.31)], to report being satisfied with life [OR 0.10 (95% CI 0.07-0.14)] and to report receiving needed social support [OR 0.29 (95% CI 0.22-0.38)] relative to individuals without major depression. Individuals with major depression were also more likely to report one or more poor physical and poor mental health days in the past 30 days [OR 4.36 (95% CI 3.33-5.72) and OR 9.77 (95% CI 7.81-12.22), respectively] than those without major depression. Conclusions: Major depression in adults with diabetes is associated with decreases in a wide range of quality-of-life indices as well as preventive self-care practices that were not entirely limited to diabetes-specific disease management.