Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Diabetes distress, a term used to describe negative emotions associated with diabetes, is the key factor responsible for the elevated risk of psychological burden and compromised self-management. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of diabetes-related distress among adolescent patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and to ascertain various factors associated with it.

Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 102 T1D patients with age 12-20 years visiting a diabetic clinic in the Department of Diabetology from March 2022 to October 2022 were enrolled. The patient’s demographic and clinical details were noted in a pre-designed proforma. T1D distress scale (T1DDS) was used to measure diabetes distress and distress was classified as severe, moderate, and no/little distress.

Results: Of the 102 T1D patients, 36 % (n=36) had diabetes-related distress, of which 31% had moderate and 3 % had severe distress. The average total distress score was 1.70 ± 0.62 and higher mean scores were of powerlessness, negative social perception, and eating distress. Distress was higher among females, in those with the onset of diabetes in teens rather than in childhood. There is a significant impact of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) on the severity of diabetes distress as demonstrated by Pearson’s correlation (r=.530, n= 102, P= <.001)

Conclusion: The present study highlights the association of diabetes distress in adolescents with various factors, most significantly poor glycemic control, and therefore emphasizes the need for developing psychological interventional strategies in routine diabetes care to improve the mental well-being and self-management of diabetic patients.