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A new study in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Plus shows that older Canadians with diabetes experienced spikes in depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study was based on results of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging surveys, which polled Canadian residents aged 45 to 85 who were recruited in 2012 to 2015 and subsequently completed three follow-up surveys beginning in the fall of 2020. A total of 2,730 people with diabetes were included in this study, the authors said.
Participants with diabetes and a history of depression were the most at risk for experiencing a new episode of depression when the pandemic started, with almost half reporting depression during COVID-19 (48.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 45.4% to 51.7%).
Among participants with diabetes and no history of depression, the incidence of new depression was 12.9% (95% CI, 11.3% to 14.4%) during the pandemic.
Women at greater risk
Being female was associated with depression. Men had 38% lower odds of developing depression than women did (odds ratio 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.87).
"Those with a history of depression also had lower household income, less total savings, and were less able to satisfy their needs with their income prior to the pandemic," the authors wrote.
"The pandemic has taken a significant toll on the mental health of everyone, particularly older adults with chronic conditions such as diabetes," said study co-author Grace Li, a research assistant and PhD candidate at the University of Toronto's Institute for Life Course and Aging, in a press release. "It's important for primary health providers to be vigilant for signs of depression among their older patients, even those who were doing well in the past."
In conclusion, the authors of the study said the findings should prompt clinicians to ask diabetes patients about depression symptoms, especially during periods of increased stress.