Co-occurrence of diabetes and depression in the U.S

Maria L Alva

PLOS ONE, 2020, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-10

Abstract: Evidence exists that depression interacts with physical illness to amplify the impact of chronic conditions like diabetes. The co-occurrence of these two conditions leads to worse health outcomes and higher healthcare costs. This study seeks to understand what demographic and socio-economic indicators can be used to predict co-occurrence at both the state and the individual level. Diabetes and depression are modeled as a bivariate normal distribution using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2016–2017 cohorts. The tetrachoric (latent) correlation between diabetes and depression is 17.2% and statistically significant, however the likelihood of any person being diagnosed with both conditions is small—as high as 4.3% (Arizona) and as low as 2.3% (Utah). We find that demographic characteristics (sex, age, and race) operate in opposite directions in predicting diabetes and depression diagnosis. Behavioral indicators (BMI≥30, smoking, and exercise); and life outcomes, (schooling attainment, marital and veteran status) work in the same direction to produce co-occurrence and as such are more powerful predictors of co-occurrence than demographic characteristics. It is important to have a rapid and efficient instrument to diagnoses co-occurrence. Simple questions about lifestyle choices, educational attainment and family life could help bridge the gap between primary care and psychological services with beneficial spillovers for patient-doctor communication.

Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0234718

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234718

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