FAQ 37-1: Depression and the Diabetic Foot

Editorial

Mental health has a substantial impact on physical health outcomes, and acts as a crucial component of overall well-being. Untreated mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety and professional burnout, can significantly increase the risk of chronic diseases – including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke – by up to two times, and can worsen both pain management and patient compliance. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the mental health crisis by adding layers of medical and social distrust, uncertainty and instability that continue to endure. Further, both shame and stigma still have an impact on how people view mental healthcare, and often act as a barrier in our healthcare system overall.

But, what has caused (or contributed to) this mental health crisis in the United States? Contemporary America has seen rapid socioeconomic change, hyper-individualistic philosophy and lifestyle shifts that have significantly impacted collective mental health in the digital era. Primary drivers in this crisis include social isolation, financial debt, digital dependency and a perceived failure to meet personal expectations – factors that are harmful to anyone in the general population, but that carry a unique weight for patients at risk of severe complications of diseases such as diabetes.

This issue of Foot and Ankle Quarterly explores the serious, complex and persistent mental health-related  consequences that face the diabetic population, as well as the unique set of risks for the physicians who treat them.

Brandon M. Brooks, DPM, MPH, FACPM, FFPM (Glasg)