Among adults with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 33.8%, 38.3%, and 25.5%, respectively, with higher HbA1c and female sex as key predictors.
Cross-Sectional (n=450)
Yes
Patients with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia experience high rates of depression, anxiety, and stress, suggesting a need for routine psychological screening in primary care.
BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent health problem, not only globally, but also in Saudi Arabia. A growing body of literature suggests a bi-directional association between T2DM and various mental health disorders. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of depression, anxiety, and stress among T2DM patients in the western region of Saudi Arabia. METHODS: Between May and August 2018, a cross-sectional study was conducted among adult patients with T2DM in five public primary care centers in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Sociodemographic characteristics and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were measured using the self-administered, previously validated Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) questionnaire. Simple descriptive statistics were used. Forward binary logistic regression was used to identify predictors of depression, anxiety, and stress. RESULTS: A total of 450 adults with T2DM were included (56.9% men; 43.1% women). The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 33.8%, 38.3%, and 25.5%, respectively. Major predictors of psychological distress were age, sex, the presence of comorbidities, duration since T2DM diagnosis, and serum level of hemoglobin A1c. Compliance with diabetes management measures and older age were the only protective factors. CONCLUSION: Patients with T2DM had significantly high rates of depression, anxiety, and stress. We recommend periodic screening of patients with T2DM for psychological distress using easy and inexpensive validated screening tools like the DASS-21 questionnaire. Further larger-scale studies are needed to investigate the causes and outcomes of these higher rates of psychological distress among Saudi patients with diabetes.
Alzahrani et al. (Tue,) conducted a cross-sectional in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (n=450). Among adults with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 33.8%, 38.3%, and 25.5%, respectively, with higher HbA1c and female sex as key predictors.