Prevalence and Determinants of Depression Among the Diabetic Libyan Patients in Primary Health Care Centers During 2020

Background: Diabetic patients have a relatively high prevalence of depressive symptoms, and self-harm thoughts often complicate their emotional disturbances.The risk factors of the comorbidity of depression and diabetes should be taken into consideration to decrease problems arising because of the comorbidity of these two conditions.Objectives: This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of depression and its severity among diabetic patients and correlate it with sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical characteristics. Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2020 to October 2022.The study included 400 patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes attending diabetic clinics in primary health care centers in Tripoli-Libya of both sexes; the sample excluded pregnant women and those with advanced complications.The patients were assessed for depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9.The relationship between depression, diabetic control, and sociodemographic characteristics was analyzed using Chi-square and ANOVA analyses, which estimated the significant factors that were dependently associated with depression. Results:The sample study included 400 participants; the study reveals that 30.5% of diabetic patients reported depressive symptoms; 15% had moderate depression; 10% had moderately severe depression; and 5.5% had severe depression.There was a statistically significant relation between depression and female gender, married patient, house ownership, poor drug adherence, diabetic complications, especially in the eye, poor diet control, physical inactivity, sleep disturbance, self-harm ideation, and difficulty dealing with ordinary life. Conclusion:The study found that 30.5% of diabetic patients attending primary health care centers in 2020 in Tripoli were depressed.