Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the patterns of diabetes distress within an urban, technology-oriented academic clinical practice to inform staff training and intervention.
Methods: Adults with type 1 diabetes completed the Type 1 Diabetes Distress Scale at their regular clinic visit. Descriptive statistics were generated to document the prevalence of diabetes distress overall, and from seven primary sources of distress: powerlessness, disease management, hypoglycaemia, negative social perceptions, eating, physician and family/friends. Additional analyses explored relations between diabetes distress, demographic characteristics and disease status.
Results: The prevalence of elevated diabetes distress was 30% overall, with 88% of the sample reporting elevated distress from at least one primary source. Women reported more elevated distress overall, and from the primary sources. There was an inverse relationship between diabetes duration with total diabetes distress (r = -0.19) and with the powerlessness subscale (r = -0.28). Also, those without micro- and/or macrovascular complications more frequently reported elevated distress from powerlessness (85%) compared to those having complications (61%). Use of technology (continuous glucose monitoring, insulin pumps) was not significantly related to diabetes distress. Diabetes distress was positively correlated with HbA1c. About 22% of individuals with HbA1c <53 mmol/mol (<7%) had elevated total distress. About a third of the sample (34%-39%) reported elevated distress from powerlessness, hypoglycaemia, negative social perceptions, eating, or family/friends.
Conclusions: It is critical to understand clinic-specific patterns of diabetes distress in order to customise staff training and intervention programmes, and thereby reduce distress among unique populations of adults with type 1 diabetes in different settings.
Keywords: Diabetes distress; type 1 diabetes.
© 2022 Diabetes UK.