A comparative study to assess depression and anxiety in Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Diabetes is an alarming health problem affecting more than half a billion people globally. Diabetes is one of the most psychologically demanding illnesses and is frequently associated with anxiety and depression. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depression and anxiety among diabetic patients and comparison of mental health assessment tools among diabetic and nondiabetic participants. Methodology: A comparative study of 80 diabetic patients attending the diabetology outpatient department and 80 age-matched nondiabetic attendees/relatives of patients attending the medicine outpatient department were randomly selected after fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria. After confirming their disease status, informed consent was obtained. Data were collected using a pretested questionnaire, mini international neuropsychiatric interview scale, beck depression inventory (BDI) for depression, and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety scale (HAM-A) for anxiety. Results: Majority of the study participants in both groups (n = 35, 43.8%) were of 46–50 years old. About 52.5% of diabetic and 17.5% of nondiabetic participants were having depression and 51.3% of diabetic and 18.3% of nondiabetics were having anxiety as per BDI and HAM-A scores, respectively. Although major differences in sociodemographic variables such as socioeconomic class, gender, and place of residence, etc., between the two groups, it was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The present study shows depression and anxiety were more common among diabetic patients than nondiabetic participants. The risk for depression and anxiety is more among male patients, urban population, and those in low-socioeconomic status.