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Depression symptoms differ among youths with type 1, type 2 diabetes
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The factors associated with increased depressive symptoms among youths with diabetes vary based on diabetes type, according to findings published in Pediatric Diabetes.
“We found that subjective self-ratings of global health were strongly related to depressive symptoms among youths with both types of diabetes, with a stronger correlation for youths with type 2 diabetes than type 1,” Jessie J. Wong, PhD, an instructor in the department of pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine, told Endocrine Today. “We also found that diabetes duration was only associated with depressive symptoms among youths with type 2 diabetes and that sex was unrelated to depressive symptoms within both groups.”
Wong and colleagues analyzed data from 149 adolescents and young adults with type 1 (n = 122) or type 2 diabetes (n = 27) who completed a web-based depression screening during routine clinic appointments. Participants completed the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire and the 7-item PROMIS Pediatric Global Health scale. Researchers conducted chart reviews to assess diagnosis, diabetes duration and indicators of health status, and used regression models to examine differences in depressive symptoms by diabetes type.
Within the cohort, 7.4% of participants met the cutoff for clinically significant depressive symptoms.
Researchers found that adolescents with type 2 diabetes had higher depressive symptom scores compared with those with type 1 diabetes (4.89 vs. 2.99; P = .025). A significant interaction between global health and diabetes type on depressive symptoms revealed inverse associations between global health and depressive symptoms that was stronger among youths with type 2 diabetes (P < .001) than type 1 (P < .001).
“These findings signified that the more severe depressive symptoms were observed among those with poorer global health, but that this association was stronger for individuals with type 2 diabetes, while adjusting for diabetes duration and gender,” the researchers wrote.
Among youths with better global health, adolescents with type 1 diabetes had more depressive symptoms compared with those with type 2 diabetes (P = .035). Diabetes duration and depressive symptoms were positively associated among individuals with type 2 diabetes (P = .043), but not type 1 diabetes. There were no between-sex differences.
“Providers caring for adolescents with diabetes may consider evaluating depressive symptoms among youths with generally low health status and, as time passes, following a type 2 diabetes diagnosis,” Wong said. “Depression-focused interventions for adolescents with diabetes may be tailored to address overall health for youths with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and target factors associated with longer diabetes duration among adolescents with type 2 diabetes.”
s based on diabetes type. – by Regina Schaffer
For more information:
Jessie J. Wong, PhD, can be reached at the Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, 780 Welch Road, Mail Code 5208, Palo Alto, CA 94035; email: wongjj@stanford.edu.
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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