Factors Related to Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults With Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Objective: to identify the factors related to depressive symptoms in older adults with Diabetes Mellitus. Method: a cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach conducted with 144 older adults registered in 72 Family Health units from the municipality of João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. The data were collected from September to December 2019, using an instrument to obtain information referring to the sociodemographic and clinical profile and the Geriatric Depression Scale by means of descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: it was observed that 75.7% of the diabetic older adults did not present depressive symptoms. There was a significant association between depressive symptoms and the following variables: personal income (p=0.044), type of income (p=0.020), dyslipidemia (p=0.038), diabetes complications (p=0.045) and retinopathy (p=0.033). Conclusion: the social and health factors, as well as those related to diabetes, can exert negative influences on older adults' psychological state and favor the onset of depressive symptoms.