Depression, food insecurity and diabetic morbidity: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study.

TitleDepression, food insecurity and diabetic morbidity: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsBergmans, RS, Zivin, K, Mezuk, B
JournalJournal of Psychosomatic Research
Volume117
Pagination22-29
ISSN Number1879-1360
KeywordsDepressive symptoms, Diabetes, Racial/ethnic differences
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether diabetic morbidity mediates the relationship of food insecurity with depression among older adults with diabetes.

METHODS: Data came from the 2010-2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study and analyses were limited to respondents with diabetes (n = 2951). Depression was indexed by the 8-item Centers for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Weighted logistic regression was used to examine relationships of food insecurity and diabetic morbidity with depressive symptoms, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Path analysis quantified the contribution of diabetic morbidity as a mediation of the relationship of food insecurity with depressive symptoms.

RESULTS: Food insecurity was associated with having poor diabetes control (odds ratio (OR) = 1.7; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-2.5) and diabetes-related kidney problems (OR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.1-2.5). Additionally, food insecurity was associated with depression contemporaneously (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.7-2.4) and longitudinally (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.3-1.8). However, food insecurity was no longer associated with depression when adjusting for diabetic morbidity. In path analyses, diabetic morbidity explained 12.7% (p-value = .04) of the association of food insecurity with depressive symptoms in 2012 and 18.5% (p-value = .09) of the association with depressive symptoms in 2014.

CONCLUSION: The relationship of food insecurity with depression was attributable to worse diabetes morbidity. Interventions that reduce food insecurity among older adults with diabetes may improve disease management and reduce depression severity.

DOI10.1016/j.jpsychores.2018.12.007
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30665592?dopt=Abstract

Alternate JournalJ Psychosom Res
Citation Key9976
PubMed ID30665592
PubMed Central IDPMC6467465
Grant ListT32 HD007014 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
T32 MH073553 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States