Psychological Health and Diabetes Self-Management among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes during COVID-19 in the Southwest of Saudi Arabia

Medicina (Kaunas). 2022 May 19;58(5):675. doi: 10.3390/medicina58050675.

Abstract

Background and objectives: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia is high and rising steeply. However, the management of type 2 diabetic patients has largely employed a medical approach and ignored the self-care management approach. This observation has even been obscured further by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the psychological health of these patients. This study aimed to understand the effects of psychological health and DSM on type 2 diabetic patients in the Jazan region during COVID-19. Materials and methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was employed in this study. Participants were type 2 diabetic patients from the diabetic center at Jazan, Saudi Arabia. The Arabic-translated version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Depression and anxiety were higher in females compared to males and were more reported by participants from urban compared to rural settings. Smoking and Khat chewing were inappropriate diabetic self-care management practices while exercising was appropriate. A negative correlation was observed between depression vs. health care utilization, and depression vs. diabetic self-care management. Anxiety results also showed similar findings to that of depression. Additionally, depression and anxiety were easily predicted by urban residence, and diabetic self-care management was predicted by exercise. Conclusions: Adequate self-care behavior in patients with type 2 diabetes is needed. Medical professionals should ensure improved efforts to accurately ascertain how an individual can implement the recommended lifestyle changes and facilitate self-care education.

Keywords: COVID-19; Saudi Arabia; diabetes mellitus; psychological health; self-care management.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / complications
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / epidemiology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pandemics
  • Saudi Arabia / epidemiology
  • Self-Management*

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.