Prevalence of Diabetes Distress among Adults with Diabetes Mellitus in a Rural Area of West Bengal: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes distress is the emotional burden of diabetics and it may have a devastating impact on the health and well-being of people with diabetes. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of diabetes distress among adults with diabetes mellitus registered in the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) register in a rural area of West Bengal and to identify its distribution across different sociodemographic and treatment-related variables. Materials and Methods: This community-based descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in Barrackpore II block of North 24 Parganas district between July 2023 and September 2023. The study population consisted of diabetics registered under the NP-NCD register. The minimum required sample size of 155 was selected through a multistage sampling technique. Socioeconomic and sociodemographic data were collected using standardized questionnaire. Problem Areas in Diabetes questionnaire was used for assessing diabetes distress. Medication Adherence Report Scale questionnaire was used to check for medication adherence. Data were collected by house-to-house visits. Data were analyzed using jamovi (v2.4.8). Results: Out of the 142 participants, 52 (36.6%) had diabetes distress. Odds of diabetes distress were higher among <50 years of age (6.25 [2.41, 16.18]), females (3.66 [1.46, 9.21]), individuals with poor adherence to medications (8.40 [3.26, 21.59]), and individuals procuring medicines from private shops (3.47 [1.00, 12.00]). Conclusion: Diabetes distress is a public health problem among adults living with diabetes, which may have negative impacts on their quality of life and health outcomes. Further research is needed to explore the possible mitigating measures for the same.