Indigenous Community Care -- Documented Depression in Patients with Diabetes

Aim: This article reports on documented levels of depression among people with diabetes attending indigenous primary care centres.

Method: Between 2005 and 2009, clinical audits of diabetes care were conducted in 62 indigenous community health centres from four Australian states and territories.

Results: The overall prevalence of documented depression among people with diabetes was 8.8%. Fourteen (23%) of the 62 health centres had no record of either diagnosed depression or prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors among people with diabetes. For the remaining 48 centres, 3.3-36.7% of people with diabetes had documented depression.

Discussion: The results of this study are inconsistent with the evidence showing high prevalence of mental distress among indigenous people. A more thorough investigation into the capacity, methods and barriers involved in diagnosing and managing depression in indigenous primary care is needed.