Journal of Affective Disorders Reports (Apr 2024)
Severe disability and self-reported depression and anxiety among persons living with Type 2 diabetes in Canada
Abstract
Background: This study aims to estimate the national prevalence of self-reported depression and anxiety disorders among persons living with Type 2 diabetes in Canada, as well as to investigate the potential link between disability severity and these conditions. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of a subsample (N=8,321) of participants living with Type 2 diabetes in the 2017-2018 Canadian Community Health Survey-Annual Component. Modified Poisson regression models were used to examine the association between disability severity and depression and anxiety disorders. Descriptive statistics, prevalence estimates, adjusted relative risk, and 95% confidence intervals are reported. All statistical analyses were conducted using STATA version 18. Results: The prevalence of depression and anxiety were 12.4% and 10.1% respectively. Our study found disability severity as a strong risk factor for both psychiatric disorders. We also found (1) dissatisfaction with life, (2) extremely stressful life events, (3) being female (4) single or never married, (5) poor self-rated health, (6) obesity, and (7) current smoker as significant risk factors for both psychiatric disorders. Conversely, increasing age and higher annual personal income status were significant protective factors. Limitations: The study's limitations include the inability to establish temporal connections between risk factors and psychiatric disorders due to the cross-sectional design and the exclusion of those living in remote parts of the country and others from participation in the survey, which may underestimate the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes and severe disability. Conclusions: This study's findings point toward a growing demand for tertiary prevention to increase the probability for those living with Type 2 diabetes in Canada of maintaining functional health, improving mental health, and having a better quality of life. Public health prevention efforts targeted at decreasing the prevalence of diabetes and its complications and disability severity are recommended.
