Dose-Dependent Association Between Chronic Complication Burden and Multi-Psychosocial Conditions in Adults with Diabetes
TL;DR
Chronic complication burden was independently associated with concurrent psychosocial conditions in adults with diabetes, supporting the importance of routine psychosocial screening in patients with chronic complications, while future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify causal pathways.
Abstract
(1) Background: Depression, anxiety, and diabetes-related distress commonly coexist in adults with diabetes and may contribute to cumulative psychosocial burden. This study examined the prevalence of multi-psychosocial burden and its association with chronic diabetes-related complications. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 172 adults with diabetes using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Diabetes Distress Scale. Multi-psychosocial burden was defined as the presence of at least two positive psychosocial conditions. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected through structured assessment and medical record review. (3) Results: The mean age was 58.3 ± 10.4 years, and 57.6% were female. Overall, 16.9% of participants met criteria for multi-psychosocial burden. Chronic diabetes-related complications were present in 47.7% of participants. Each additional chronic complication was independently associated with higher odds of multi-psychosocial burden (adjusted OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.21–3.05; p = 0.005). The prevalence of multi-psychosocial burden increased from 8.9% among participants without complications to 37.9% among those with two or more complications, demonstrating a dose-dependent pattern. (4) Conclusions: Chronic complication burden was independently associated with concurrent psychosocial conditions in adults with diabetes, supporting the importance of routine psychosocial screening in patients with chronic complications, while future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify causal pathways.