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. 2011 Mar;34(3):598-600.
doi: 10.2337/dc10-1825. Epub 2011 Jan 27.

Underdiagnosed and undertreated depression among racially/ethnically diverse patients with type 2 diabetes

Dara H Sorkin  1 , Quyen Ngo-Metzger, John Billimek, Kristin J August, Sheldon Greenfield, Sherrie H Kaplan
Affiliations

Underdiagnosed and undertreated depression among racially/ethnically diverse patients with type 2 diabetes

Dara H Sorkin et al. Diabetes Care. 2011 Mar.

Abstract

Objective: To examine racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence of depressive symptoms and in provider recognition of depression among Latino, Asian, and non-Hispanic white patients with type 2 diabetes.

Research design and methods: Patients (n = 1,209) with type 2 diabetes were recruited from five university-affiliated primary care clinics for an observational study.

Results: Vietnamese American (133, 59.4%) and Mexican American (351, 50.2%) patients were more likely to report symptoms consistent with clinical depression (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression [CES-D] scale score ≥ 22) than non-Hispanic whites (119, 41.6%; F [2, 1206] = 8.05, P < 0.001). Despite comparable diabetes care, Vietnamese and Mexican patients with high depressive symptoms were less likely to be diagnosed and treated than non-Hispanic whites (all P values < 0.001). Minority patients who reported low levels of trust in their provider were less likely to have been diagnosed or treated for depression (adjusted odds ratio 0.65, 95% CI 0.44-0.98, P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Innovative strategies are needed to improve recognition of depressive symptoms in minority patients.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01123239.

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