Cross-Sectional Study of Impact of Social Support on Depression among Type 2 Diabetics in a Secondary Health Care Facility in Southwest Nigeria

Aims: To assess the level of social support and determine the relationship between depression and social support among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

Study Design: This study was a cross-sectional survey.

Place and duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Medical Out Patients (MOP) clinic of Jericho Specialist Hospital, Ibadan between 1st of August and 30th of September 2017.

Methodology: Systematic sampling technique was used to recruit 273 type 2DM patients who were 40 years and above, receiving care at the MOP clinic for at least 3months. Diabetes-related information was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Zung self-rating scale and multidimensional perceived social support scale were used to assess depression and social support respectively. Independent t-test was used to determine the relationship between depression and social support and the level of significance was set at p<.05.

Results: Half (50.5%) of the respondents were diagnosed in the past 5 years as having type 2 DM, 79.5% had hypertension as a co-morbidity and 51.6% had good glycaemic control. The prevalence of depression was 27.5%, mild and moderate depression were 26.4% and 1.1% respectively and none had severe depression. One hundred and two (37.4%),56.0% and 6.6% respondents had high, moderate and low social support respectively. The highest social support scores 5.9 + 1.7 was from family. Total perceived social support was higher among non-depressed diabetic respondents. There was a significant difference between the mean total support in the depressed and non-depressed group (4.88 ± 1.41 vs 4.50 ± 1.24, p = .03).

Conclusion: Type 2 DM patients who had high social support were less depressed, therefore, clinicians managing DM patients should explore the social support enjoyed by such patients to achieve good health outcome.