Cited 32 times since 2015 (3.1 per year) source: EuropePMC Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association, Volume 32, Issue 12, 28 4 2015, Pages 1617-1624 Diabetes-related distress over the course of illness: results from the Diacourse study. Kasteleyn MJ, de Vries L, van Puffelen AL, Schellevis FG, Rijken M, Vos RC, Rutten GE, Diacourse study group
Aims
To investigate the relationship between diabetes duration and diabetes-related distress and to examine the impact of micro- and macrovascular complications and blood glucose-lowering treatment on this relationship.
Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional study in people with Type 2 diabetes who participated in the Dutch Diacourse study (n = 590) and completed the Problem Areas in Diabetes questionnaire. Data on diabetes duration, micro- and macrovascular complications and blood glucose-lowering treatment were collected. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate the association between diabetes duration and diabetes-related distress, and to examine whether complications and treatment could explain this association.
Results
A significant linear and quadratic association between diabetes duration and diabetes-related distress was found (duration: β = 0.27, P = 0.005; duration(2): β = -0.21, P = 0.030). The association between duration and distress could be explained by microvascular complications and insulin treatment, which were both more often present in people with a longer diabetes duration, and were associated with higher levels of diabetes-related distress (β = 0.20, P < 0.001 and β = 0.16, P = 0.006 respectively). Duration, age, gender, complications and treatment together explained 13.1% of the variance in distress.
Conclusions
Diabetes duration was associated with diabetes-related distress. This association can be explained largely by the presence of diabetes-related microvascular complications and insulin treatment. Healthcare providers should focus on distress in people with Type 2 diabetes in different stages over the course of illness, especially when complications are present or when people are on insulin treatment. As well as diabetes duration, complications and blood glucose-lowering treatment, diabetes-related distress is likely to be influenced by many other factors.
