Depression and diabetes in a rural community in Pakistan.

Aims: To determine the prevalence of depression amongst subjects with diabetes and associated risk factors in a rural area of Pakistan.

Methods: One thousand two hundred and ninety rural individuals aged 20 years and above were randomly included in the study. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), BMI, WHR were recorded. Depression was assessed by Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS).

Results: The prevalence of depression was 5.4% (95% CI: 4.2-6.6), slightly higher amongst women compared to men. Depression prevalence was 14.7% (6.6-22.8) amongst those with diabetes as opposed to 4.9 (3.7-6.1) amongst those without diabetes. Age, gender, and diabetes were independent risk factors for depression, while obesity had a protective effect.

Conclusions: A relatively low prevalence of depression were recorded amongst the rural inhabitants, while a high prevalence was observed amongst diabetic subjects in Pakistan. This may suggest that psychiatric intervention may be required both for improved care and for primary prevention of diabetes.