Fatigue, Pain, Sleep Difficulties, and Depressive Symptoms in Mexican Americans and Chinese Americans with Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Fatigue, pain, sleep difficulties, and depressive symptoms are common in people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, most studies of diabetes symptoms are not conducted with Mexican- or Chinese Americans. We aim to compare the symptoms between the two ethnic groups and examine the predictors of fatigue. This is a secondary analysis of two datasets (72 Mexican Americans and 134 Chinese Americans with T2DM). The Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms guided variable selection. We used χ² tests to compare symptoms (measured by the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised and CES-D) between the two ethnic groups, and logistic regression to predict fatigue. Compared to Chinese Americans, Mexican Americans reported more fatigue, sleep difficulties, and pain. Depressive symptoms (OR = 6.13, p < 0.001) and medium acculturation (OR = 2.45, p = 0.017) significantly predicted fatigue. The two ethnic groups demonstrated differences in symptoms. Fatigue and related symptoms should be further evaluated in Mexican- and Chinese Americans with T2DM.

Keywords: Chinese Americans; Depressive symptoms; Fatigue; Mexican Americans; Type 2 diabetes.