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. 2023 Nov 6:16:3547-3556.
doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S430001. eCollection 2023.

Diabetes Distress and Illness Perceptions in Tunisian Type 2 Diabetes Patients

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 Abid  2
Affiliations

Diabetes Distress and Illness Perceptions in Tunisian Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Rim Masmoudi et al. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. .

Abstract

Purpose: 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: Tunisian patients; diabetes mellitus; distress; illness perception; type 2.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of respondents according to the level of diabetes distress (DD).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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