EFFECT OF RACE/ETHNICITY AND PERSISTENT RECOGNITION OF DEPRESSION ON MORTALITY IN ELDERLY MEN WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES AND DEPRESSION
- Lisa K. Richardson, MAppPsy1,,2,
- Leonard E. Egede, MD, MS (egedel{at}musc.edu)3,,4 and
- Martina Mueller, PhD3,,5
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC1
- School of Psychology, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia2
- Ralph H. Johnson VAMC, Charleston, SC3
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina4
- Department of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, and Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina5
Abstract
Objective: To determine whether mortality risk from depression among elderly men with type 2 diabetes differs by persistent recognition of depression and ethnicity.
Research Design and Methods: Data on a cohort of 14, 500 male veterans with type 2 were analyzed. Diagnoses of depression and diabetes were based on ICD-9 codes. Persistent recognition was defined as individuals with ICD-9 code for depression documented at ≥2 and ≥3 visits after initial diagnosis of depression. Hazards of death were compared using Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusting for relevant covariates.
Results: Over 10 years, 2, 305 deaths were documented. Mortality risk was higher for depressed compared to non-depressed veterans with diabetes (HR 1.6 [1.3-1.8]). Among those with depression, mortality risk was lower with persistent recognition (0-2 vs. ≥3, HR 0.58 [0.40-0.89]), but higher for whites compared to blacks (1.60, 95% CI 1.11-2.31).
Conclusion: Increased mortality from depression differs by ethnicity and persistent recognition.
Footnotes
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- Received November 21, 2007.
- Accepted January 23, 2008.
- Copyright © American Diabetes Association
