Evidence suggests that people with diabetes are twice as likely to develop clinical depression as those without the disease, according to the authors of a recent small study published in the medical journal Diabetes Care. Depression is associated with a loss of blood- glucose control and poorer health in general.
Researchers wanted to find out if adding cognitive behavioral therapy, a systematic approach that focuses on goals, to a diabetes-education program provided a clear benefit over diabetes education alone.
Results of the study found that participants who received cognitive behavioral therapy were better at following doctors’ instructions with respect to taking their medications and measuring their blood-glucose levels than were those who received only diabetes education. People who had been in therapy also ended up with lower A1C levels (average blood glucose over the previous two to three months) and reported being less depressed than the control group.
Source: American Diabetes Association
Good Neighbor Pharmacy Health Connection, Jul2014
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