Prevalence of depression and use of antidepressant pharmacotherapy among ambulatory patients with diabetes mellitus in the United States

Joshua J Neumiller; David A Sclar; Linda M Robison; Stephen M Setter; Tracy L Skaer

doi:10.1016/j.curtheres.2009.12.001

Prevalence of depression and use of antidepressant pharmacotherapy among ambulatory patients with diabetes mellitus in the United States

Curr Ther Res Clin Exp. 2009 Dec;70(6):472-6. doi: 10.1016/j.curtheres.2009.12.001.

Authors

Joshua J Neumiller¹, David A Sclar², Linda M Robison³, Stephen M Setter¹, Tracy L Skaer²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington.
² Department of Pharmacotherapy, Department of Health Policy and Administration, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington.
³ Department of Health Policy and Administration, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington.

Abstract

Background: Persons with diabetes mellitus (DM) exhibit a higher rate of depressive illness than does the general US population. Despite this finding, previous research has documented a low rate of diagnosis and/or treatment with antidepressant pharmacotherapy among persons with DM.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the current rate of diagnosis of depression and use of antidepressant pharmacotherapy among persons with DM.

Results: We examined data from the 2005 US National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. In 2005, there were an estimated 35,345,845 persons with an office-based visit for DM and, of these, 3,823,508 (10.8%) had a concomitant diagnosis of depression. Within this subset, 1,830,620 (47.9%) were prescribed antidepressant pharmacotherapy.

Conclusion: Our findings serve to quantify the prevalence of a diagnosis of depression and use of antidepressant pharmacotherapy for its treatment among persons with DM in the United States.

Keywords: antidepressant pharmacotherapy; depression; diabetes mellitus.