Prevalence of Anxiety in Type 2 Diabetic Patients in India: A Meta-analysis

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BSTRACT

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), as one of the world’s most common chronic illnesses, the intersection of diabetes and mental health has rightfully gained significant traction in the last few decades. This meta-analysis study has been designed to estimate the pooled prevalence of anxiety in type 2 diabetic patients in India. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were followed for this systematic review cum meta-analysis. The data were extracted from PubMed, Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and ScienceDirect database on 30 ^th August, 2025. After considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 10 studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of anxiety in type 2 diabetic patients in India was estimated at 95% confidence interval (CI) using a random effect model, assuming potential heterogeneity. STATA 18 (Stata Corp LLC, College Station, TX, USA) was used for data analysis. A quality assessment appraisal of the studies was carried out using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools. In this meta-analysis, a total of 5,273 participants were included and the calculated pooled prevalence was 27% (95% CI: 14–41). However, extremely high heterogeneity (I² =99.45%) suggests that this estimate varies widely across populations. Subgroup analyses revealed that geographic region and assessment tools significantly influenced prevalence, while study setting did not. Almost one in four T2DM patients in India are reported with anxiety. Despite high heterogeneity on prevalence, results underscore a critical intersection between metabolic and mental health, necessitating the urgent integration of psychosocial support into standard diabetes care frameworks across India.