Objectives　The　effect　of　depression　or　suicidal　ideation　on　health-related　quality　of　life　(HRQoL)　in　diabetic　individuals　has　not　been　thoroughly　investigated.　The　purpose　of　this　research　was　to　investigate　the　influence　of　suicidal　ideation　and　depression　on　HRQoL　in　diabetic　patients.　Methods　This　study　is　based　on　data　from　5543　diabetic　patients　who　participated　in　the　US　National　Health　and　Nutrition　Examination　Survey　(2005-2018).　Diabetes　was　defined　according　to　the　criteria　established　by　the　American　Diabetes　Association　and　self-report　questionnaires.　Depression,　including　its　severity,　and　suicidal　ideation　were　evaluated　using　the　Patient　Health　Questionnaire-9　(PHQ-9).　HRQoL　was　assessed　using　the　Centers　for　Disease　Control　and　Prevention　HRQoL-4　to　evaluate　physical　health,　mental　health,　days　of　activity　limitation　and　general　health　status.　Logistic　and　linear　regression　models　were　employed　to　examine　the　association　of　HRQoL　of　diabetic　patients　with　depression　and　suicidal　ideation.　Sensitivity　analysis　determined　the　stability　of　the　results.　Results　661　reported　depression　and　265　reported　suicidal　ideation,　with　prevalence　rates　of　11.9%　and　4.8%,　respectively.　After　controlling　for　demographic　factors,　risk　behaviors,　and　comorbidities,　the　PHQ-9　score,　as　well　as　depression　and　its　severity,　in　addition　to　suicidal　ideation,　showed　a　strong　association　with　decreased　general　health　status,　more　physically　and　mentally　unhealthy　days,　and　activity　limitation　days　for　individuals　suffering　from　diabetes　(p　＜　0.05).　Conclusions　In　individuals　with　diabetes,　a　decrease　in　HRQoL　is　linked　to　suicidal　ideation　and　depression.　Healthcare　providers　are　advised　to　incorporate　concise　depression　screening　evaluations,　like　the　two-question　PHQ,　into　their　discussions　with　diabetic　patients.　If　these　screenings　indicate　elevated　depression　symptoms,　it　is　advisable　to　recommend　psychological　referrals.　However,　since　this　study　employs　a　cross-sectional　design,　it　is　unable　to　establish　the　causal　relationships　among　these　factors.　Further　prospective　longitudinal　studies　are　essential　to　address　this　limitation.　Clinical　Trial　Number　Not　applicable.