Patients 18 - 20 were interviewed since yesterday. All three Type 2 diabetics presented with relatively low HbA1c levels. In fact, Patient 18's HbA1c, 5.80%, tends to be consistent with non-diabetics.
Last month, I noted that my depression survey is actually often used to diagnose depression as opposed to merely scale depression symptoms (see "PHQ-9 as a Diagnostic Tool"). As a result, I decided to take advantage of PHQ-9's credibility as a diagnostic tool to answer the following question: is there a higher incidence of depression (a PHQ-9 score greater than or equal to 10) in diabetics than in the general population on average?
Precisely one of the reasons why I chose this research project, the fact that depression often goes undiagnosed, is now proving to be a complication with data retrieval. For purposes of my research, I had to 'set' depression (the incidence of an actual depressive disorder) at a PHQ-9 score of 10 or greater (see Figure 4). But depression isn't just a high number on a survey; it's not that quantitative (e.g. like diabetes is, with a concrete list of criteria that constitutes a diabetic). Evidently, all depressed people can't be diagnosed with a mere survey because their symptoms are rarely distinguishable, even to an experienced physicians, much less a high school senior. On top of that, when you add the fact that diabetes is already present, it proves difficult to determine whether the symptoms on the survey are due to depression or to diabetes.
This is not to say that my results lack credibility. Rather, there could have been surveyed patients who are indeed depressed but have scores less than 10. That being said, three out of all twenty patients have been diagnosed as depressed according to my criteria. Though it is susceptible to change, this ratio is practically double the incidence of depression in the normal population.
Lalani.
1Psych Central. (2008). Diabetes and Depression. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/diabetes-and-depression/.
Last month, I noted that my depression survey is actually often used to diagnose depression as opposed to merely scale depression symptoms (see "PHQ-9 as a Diagnostic Tool"). As a result, I decided to take advantage of PHQ-9's credibility as a diagnostic tool to answer the following question: is there a higher incidence of depression (a PHQ-9 score greater than or equal to 10) in diabetics than in the general population on average?
"Despite the enormous advances in brain research in the past 20 years, depression often goes undiagnosed and untreated. People with diabetes, their families and friends, and even their physicians may not distinguish the symptoms of depression."1
National Institute of Mental Health
Precisely one of the reasons why I chose this research project, the fact that depression often goes undiagnosed, is now proving to be a complication with data retrieval. For purposes of my research, I had to 'set' depression (the incidence of an actual depressive disorder) at a PHQ-9 score of 10 or greater (see Figure 4). But depression isn't just a high number on a survey; it's not that quantitative (e.g. like diabetes is, with a concrete list of criteria that constitutes a diabetic). Evidently, all depressed people can't be diagnosed with a mere survey because their symptoms are rarely distinguishable, even to an experienced physicians, much less a high school senior. On top of that, when you add the fact that diabetes is already present, it proves difficult to determine whether the symptoms on the survey are due to depression or to diabetes.
This is not to say that my results lack credibility. Rather, there could have been surveyed patients who are indeed depressed but have scores less than 10. That being said, three out of all twenty patients have been diagnosed as depressed according to my criteria. Though it is susceptible to change, this ratio is practically double the incidence of depression in the normal population.
Lalani.
1Psych Central. (2008). Diabetes and Depression. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/diabetes-and-depression/.
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