Depression is one of the most common chronic mental illnesses globally and in India. It has been reported that depression is twice as common in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The prevalence of both depression and type 2 diabetes are rapidly increasing. This article reviews the prevalence of depression in the general population as well as in patients with type 2 diabetes and its complications with special reference to recent data from India. It also makes a case for screening for depression in diabetes clinics and integrating depression treatment with diabetes care in order to make the treatment more wholistic.
© Journal of the Association of Physicians of India 2011.