Brief Intervention for Reducing Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms and Their Impact on Metabolic Variables in Patients With Type II Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity

Diabetes and depression are chronic diseases that affect the quality of life of people and they increase disability and reduced life expectancy. The World Health Organization estimates there will be 300 million people with diabetes worldwide. The International Diabetes Federation warns that there are currently 382 million diabetics and may increase to 471 million in 2035 if it fails to make an international preventive action.

Furthermore, depression and anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders worldwide. It is estimated that in 2030, depression will be the principal cause of all diseases worldwide; while anxiety disorders are related to other mental and medical conditions that prolong disability.

For these reasons, researchers have developed brief psychotherapeutic treatments with good results (Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy, Interpersonal therapy, and others) but with limitations due to lack of trained personnel for such interventions. However, the need for the care of people with diabetes with depression and anxiety symptoms are increasing, and pharmacological and therapeutic treatments are not enough. In other countries are using the Problem Solving Therapy (PST) as a brief technique to support the patient for possible solutions for daily problems which will generate emotional distress and depressive and anxiety symptoms. PST focuses on learning to cope with specific problems areas and where therapist and patient work collaboratively to identify and prioritise key problem areas, to break problems down into specific, manageable tasks, problem solve, and develop appropriate coping behaviours for problems. World Health Organization recommends the PST for depression treatment, which act "in the here and now" that helps identify a relationship between physical and emotional symptoms. Previous studies have shown the efficacy of the PST in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms. The therapist may be a general practitioner, nurse, psychologist, social worker, etc., which serves as "advisor or counselor" while the patient is an active entity to solve their problems.

Objective The aim of this study is apply a Brief Intervention (PST) in Diabetic and Obesity patients in primary care centers of Mexico City to improve their depressive and anxious symptoms and assess their impact on treatment and stabilization of metabolic variables.

Method First Stage: Training medical students who are in last part of their education of medicine.