 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Johannes Kruse, Psychosomatic Medicine, Heinrich-Heine-University, Duesseldorf, Germany, Bergische Landstr. 2 H18, Duesseldorf, D-40605, Germany, +49-211-9224702, kruse@uni-duesseldorf.de and Norbert Schmitz, Psychosomatic Medicine, Research Unit Public Mental Health, Heinrich-Heine-University, Duesseldorf, Germany, Bergische Landstr. 2 H19, D-40605 Duesseldorf, Germany.
Objective: To determine the relationship between mental disorders and diabetes in a representative community sample.
Research Design and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Data on diabetes and HbA1c values were obtained by structured questionnaires and by laboratory assessments. Current psychiatric disorders were diagnosed by a modified version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview.
Results: People with diabetes (PWD) were not more likely to meet DSM-IV criteria for at least one mental disorder than were people without diabetes. However, a different diagnostic pattern occurred: compared to the general population, diabetics show higher unadjusted prevalence rates and odds ratios for affective (OR: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.01 - 2.96) and anxiety disorders (OR 1.93; 95% CI 1.19 - 3.14). Especially dysthymia and phobias can be found more frequently amongst PWD. Comorbidity of depression and anxiety was substantial. In contrast, there is no difference concerning the frequency of major depression, panic disorders and generalized anxiety disorders. The relationship between diabetes and affective disorders was not statistically significant after controlling for age, gender, marital and socio-economic status. In contrast, the relationship between diabetes and anxiety disorders remained significant. Compared to people without mental disorder, PWD with affective or anxiety disorders more frequently showed a better glycemic control.
Conclusions: The presence of diabetes increases the risk of developing an affective or an anxiety disorder, but for depression this is accounted-for by demographics. The association between mental disorders and diabetes should be evaluated carefully in terms of potentially confounding sociodemographic variables, sample characteristics and definitions of the disorders.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Diabetes, Epidemiology
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.