Assessment of Psychological Burden in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

The aim of the study that to assess the psychological Burden, including stress, anxiety, and depression, fear of hypoglycemia in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and the impact of demographic variables and Hypoglycemia fear (HFS) on psychological results. The DASS-21 and HFS scales were used to measure a total sample of 410. Findings showed a large difference between diabetes patients and healthy controls, both in the intensity of stress, anxiety, and depression, which showed that there was a high level of psychological burden related to T2DM. Demographic factors such as marital status, education, occupation, and family history of diabetes were significantly related to psychological states and HFS levels. Patients who scored high in terms of fear always recorded high mean levels of anxiety and depression, as the independent samples T-tests indicated significant levels of group variance. The patterns of HFS further differed among occupation, family history, and income, implying that they are influenced by socioeconomic factors. On the whole, this research identifies the complexity of the interdependence between mental distress, fear, and lifestyle choices in T2DM, which requires biopsychosocial care, specific counseling, and intervention to enhance mental health and glycemic results in diabetic patients.