Introduction:

Persons with diabetes and hypertension frequently suffer from depression as well, a situation which contributes to an inadequate management of the condition in terms of medication, medical consultations, signs, and decision making.

Objective:

To identify the relationship between general self-management and depression symptoms in persons with diabetes and hypertension.

Method:

This is a transversal and correlational study with a sample of 205 patients, 100 with a main diagnosis of diabetes, and 105 with a main diagnosis of hypertension. The sampling process was non-probabilistic and by convenience. Descriptive statistics, including Pearson's r were calculated. The Partners in Health (PIH) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) instruments were administered.

Results:

A statistically significant correlation between depression symptoms and diabetes and hypertension self-management was found (r=-0.308 ρ<0.001).

Discussion and conclusions:

Depression symptoms were related to how diabetes and hypertension are self-managed in a way that, the more self-management, the less depression symptoms, or the more depression symptoms, the less self-management.