Exploring diabetes distress among adults with type 1 diabetes: A nationwide cross-sectional study
Tórhalla Vanja Klein Olsen, May-Britt Skoradal, Ingrid Willaing, Herborg Líggjasardóttir Johannesen, Maria S. PetersenAims:
To explore the prevalence and associated variables of diabetes distress in the adult Faroese type 1 diabetes (T1D) population.
Methods:
This nationwide study involved the administration of an online questionnaire to adults diagnosed with T1D. A total of 119 participants (58% of the T1D population) completed the seven-item Type 1 Diabetes Distress Scale (T1-DDS-7) in an online survey conducted from June to August 2023. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between diabetes distress and potential associated variables.
Results:
A total of 39% of the participants scored 14 or more in the T1-DDS-7, indicating diabetes distress. Multivariate logistic regressions identified five variables that were associated with diabetes distress: younger age, recent diabetes onset, being a smoker, having a lower self-estimated health, and being unsatisfied with the received information from healthcare professionals prior to start of diabetes treatment.
Conclusions:
More than one-third of Faroese adults with T1D experienced diabetes distress. Hence, additional targeted support might be necessary for a substantial part of adults with T1D. These findings underscore the significance of the understanding from healthcare professionals of the psychosocial dimensions of diabetes and the need to address diabetes distress as a fundamental component of routine diabetes management.