Towards a gendered diabetes care approach: a secondary analysis of conventional and complementary medicine diabetes health service use of older women with diabetes and a mental health co-morbidity

Abstract Background Women with diabetes have different self-management and self-care characteristics and risk profiles to men. A difference of note is that women with diabetes are at greater risk of anxiety or depression. However, limited research has explored if the presence of a mental health co-morbidity is an influencing factor upon health service use pertinent to diabetes self-care. Materials and methods A secondary analysis of a chronic disease self-care sub-study stemming from the 45 and Up Study was conducted. Cross-sectional analyses were completed to examine the conventional and complementary medicine health service use patterns of women with diabetes and anxiety or depression, or anxiety and depression ( n = 451, n = 439, n = 439, respectively). Results Of the women who completed the diabetes specific survey and mental health questions, 155 (35.3%) were classified as clinically depressed, 94 (20.8%) reported anxiety and 58 (13.2%) were classified as having both depression and anxiety. A regression analysis revealed women with co-morbid depression were the most likely to consult with their general practitioner 7 or more times annually (OR: 3.07,95% CI 1.35–6.89), those with co-morbid anxiety most likely to engage in yoga or meditation practice (OR: 4.37, 95% CI 2.05–9.32), and those with co-morbid depression and anxiety most likely to consult with a counsellor or psychologist (OR: 7.41, 95% CI 3.22–17.07). Conclusion Our findings reveal the need for a diverse range of health care professionals, both within conventional and complementary medicine, to engender coordinated and targeted diabetes care with a view to supporting the specific needs of women with diabetes.