A study on diabetes-related distress among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients using the diabetes distress scale in a tertiary care center in Telangana

Abstract

Diabetes-related distress refers to the emotional burden and worries that are part of the spectrum of the patient experience, when managing a severe, demanding chronic disease, like diabetes. We aimed to study the association of diabetes-related distress and glycemic control in a cohort of our patients. We conducted a cross-sectional study among adults with type 2 diabetes in the endocrinology outpatient clinic of a tertiary care center in Telangana, India, during a three-month period between September 2019 and November 2019. We used the diabetes distress scale-17 items (DDS-17) to assess the presence of diabetes-related distress. A score of >2 was considered moderate distress and ≥3 was classified as high distress. We recruited 142 patients. 63 (44.36%) were females and 79 (55.63%) were males. Mean HbA1c of total patients was 61 mmol/mol (7.72 ± 1.62%). The mean age of patients was 53.94 ± 12.25 years. The mean duration of diabetes was 6.56 ± 5.27 years. 12 patients (6 males (7.59%) and 6 females (9.52%)) had severe distress (score > 3). Severe emotional burden was found in 20 patients (14%), interpersonal distress among 6 patients (4%), and regimen-related distress among 19 patients (13.38%). There was a significant increase in the total DDS scores and the subscores with increasing diabetes duration. There was a significant positive correlation between HbA1c and total DDS scores. There was no correlation of higher DDS with older age groups. Diabetes distress and glycemic control have a strong correlation with each other, and both need to be addressed during management of type 2 DM.