A study of psychiatric comorbidities and quality of life in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in a tertiary care hospital in Telangana

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Diabetes affects physical and psychological and social health. Sufficient literature exists on management by self and psychosocial methods for diabetes, but there exists a paucity of literature on psychological response and unaddressed emotional distress on overall health. Many studies have shown that diabetes has a bad impact on quality of life (QOL). This study is done for estimating psychiatric morbidity prevalence and its influence on QOL in diabetic patients. Aim: We aimed to study psychiatric comorbidities and QOL in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: This was a study done cross-sectionally over a period of 18 months on a sample of 108 subjects at the Psychiatry Department and General Medicine Department, Government Medical College and General Hospital, Nizamabad. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview PLUS 5.0 and World Health Organization QOL-BREF scales were the survey tools used. Data analysis was done using statistical methods. Results: The prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities among diabetic patients was found to be 58.3%, with Depression (17.6%) being the most common comorbidity, followed by Dysthymia (13.8%). QOL of patients with T2DM with psychiatric comorbidity was significantly poorer (P = 0.001) in physical health domain (P = 0.04) and psychological domain (P = 0.01), while it was relatively better in environment domain (P = 0.2) and social relationships domain (P = 0.5). Conclusion: This study concludes that psychiatric comorbidities are common comorbidities in persons with T2DM. Moreover, psychiatric comorbidities further reduce QOL in individuals having T2DM.