High Rates of Depressive Symptoms in Low-Income Urban Hispanics of Caribbean Origin with Poorly Controlled Diabetes: Correlates and Risk Factors

Little is known about diabetes and depression in disadvantaged urban Hispanic subgroups, particularly those of Caribbean origin. Using data from 360 urban Hispanics of Caribbean origin with poorly controlled diabetes, our objectives were to examine the prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms and depression using the Euro-D, and the association of depressive symptoms and depression with diabetes self-management and clinical parameters of diabetes control, employing multivariate analyses. The prevalence of depression was 52.8%. Higher levels of depressive symptoms were related to female gender (p < .0001), antidepressant use (p < .0001), stressful life events (p < .0001), SSI (p = .0011), lower education (p < .0001), lower statin use (p = .0014), and less walking (p = .0152). Depression (Euro-D > 3), was associated significantly with female gender (OR = 2.30, 95%CI = 1.38– 3.82), SSI (OR = 2.44, 95%CI = 1.45–4.12), antidepressant use (OR = 2.94, 95%CI = 1.54–5.64), and stressful life events (OR = 1.93, 95%CI = 1.52–2.44). Depressive symptoms and depression were related to markers of adversity and two indicators of diabetes self-management, but not clinical parameters of diabetes control.