The Diabetes, Depression, and Alcohol Triad: Potential Impact on Community Development

Type 2 diabetes, depression and alcohol abuse exist in many populations as co-morbidities. These conditions contribute to worsened health status and lost productivity. Such diseases also contribute to high medical expenses and other societal costs. Diabetes, depression and alcohol abuse are individually associated with compromised financial status. Treating these combined conditions as a syndrome rather than as isolated disease states may result in improved quality of care, better health outcomes, and reduced costs to society. A conceptual model that could be used to address this triad is the Social Ecological Model in which intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional and community factors as well as public policy are considered for their impact on outcomes. The triad of diabetes, depression and alcohol abuse may have common etiological factors such as social isolation and poverty, and such a holistic approach to the common determinants underlying all three conditions holds out the most hope to reduce both the prevalence of this unique disease triad and the associated costs to society.