1. Diabetes Distress and Illness Perceptions in Tunisian Type 2 Diabetes Patients
- Author
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Masmoudi R, Hadj Kacem F, Bouattour M, Guermazi F, Sellami R, Feki I, Mnif M, Masmoudi J, Baati I, and Abid M
- Subjects
diabetes mellitus ,type 2 ,distress ,illness perception ,tunisian patients ,Specialties of internal medicine ,RC581-951 - Abstract
Rim Masmoudi,1 Faten Hadj Kacem,2 Maroua Bouattour,3 Fatma Guermazi,1 Rim Sellami,1 Ines Feki,1 Mouna Mnif,2 Jawaher Masmoudi,1 Imen Baati,1 Mohamed Abid2 1Psychiatry “A” Department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia; 2Department of Endocrinology, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia; 3Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, TunisiaCorrespondence: Rim Masmoudi, Psychiatry “A” Department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, 3029, Tunisia, Tel +216 74 244 511, Email rim19masmoudi@gmail.comPurpose: Diabetes distress (DD) refers to the negative emotions and burden of living with diabetes. Illness perceptions are among the factors that can influence self-management and psychological distress in diabetics. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and the associated factors of DD in Tunisian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We also studied the relationship between DD and illness perceptions in diabetics.Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among individuals with type 2 diabetes, followed up at the outpatient endocrinology unit at the Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Tunisia. DD was assessed using the Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS-17). The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief-IPQ) was used to assess diabetes illness perceptions. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine independent factors associated with the presence of DD.Results: A total of 103 patients were recruited. The mean age was 59.31 (± 10.83) years; 54.4% were female. In total, 70.9% had DD. Using regression analysis, we demonstrated that the illness perceptions of personal control, HbA1C, absence of comorbidities, lower age at diabetes diagnosis, and socioeconomic status were significantly associated with DD.Conclusion: This study sheds light on the high prevalence of DD among patients with type 2 diabetes in Tunisia. Illness perception-focused psychological intervention would be efficacious in reducing diabetes distress in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Keywords: diabetes mellitus, type 2, distress, illness perception, Tunisian patients
- Published
- 2023