Assessment of Depression Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetics at an Outpatient Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital in North Central, Nigeria

Background Depression and diabetes mellitus are health problems that affect people's quality of life. Some diabetic patients who are depressed may remain undiagnosed with the co- morbidity by Family Physicians. Hence there is need to draw physicians’ attention to curb this.  Aim/Objectives The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and risk factors of depression among type 2 diabetic patients attending Federal Medical Centre's General Outpatient Clinic in Makurdi, Nigeria  Methodology This cross-sectional study included 238 diabetic patients over the age of 18 using the random sampling technique. Self-completed questionnaires were used to collect data, and clinical parameters such as height, weight, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels were noted. The questionnaire collected information on the socio- demographic characteristics, relevant history and Becks Depression Inventory (BDI). Version 21 of the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) was used to analyze the data. P-values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant in all analyses, which were carried out at a 5% significance level.  Results It was shown that 33.6% of people had depression. It was more common in people between the ages of 20 and 29 (50%) and in women than in men (39% vs. 25%). Mild depression was present in 56.3% of diabetic patients with depression. Depression was shown to be significantly correlated with BMI (p = 0.002), marital status (p = 0.034), gender (p = 0.026), and the kind of antidiabetic medicine taken (p = 0.036). Being overweight was substantially linked to a decreased risk of depression, according to multiple logistic regression analysis (aOR = 0.14, CI = 0.03-0.66, p = 0.013).  Conclusion/Recommendation A considerable number of diabetic patients exhibited depression. Physicians should maintain a high level of vigilance, monitor the behavior of individuals with diabetes, and screen them for depression. This approach can provide a foundation for further research.