Type 2 Diabetes and Depression: Patient, Family Member, and Primary Care Provider Perspectives on the Development of an Integrated Self-Management Intervention

Purpose The purpose of the current study was to engage a local primary care clinic community that serves the Latino immigrant population to obtain their input regarding the design and implementation of a proposed integrated behavioral intervention that will simultaneously target T2DM and depression self-management in this high risk patient population. Nine key informant interviews and 3 focus groups were conducted. Key informant interviews were conducted with the medical director, a primary care provider, a diabetes educator, and a medical assistant from each site, as well as the counselor who serves both sites. Fourteen patients with T2DM who screened positive for depression and 7 of their family members participated in the focus groups. Key informants and focus group participants were asked about patient challenges with diabetes management, the role of depression in T2DM, their impressions of the proposed intervention, and motivators and barriers to participation in the intervention. Commonly reported challenges with diabetes management included the struggle with healthy eating and information exchange upon diagnosis. T2DM and depression were seen as interrelated and described by many as having a cyclical relationship. Key informants and focus group participants uniformly supported the proposed intervention and recommended the involvement of family members. Results of this study support the need and acceptability of individualized behavioral interventions that target T2DM and depression simultaneously.