Association between diabetes distress and sociodemographic factors among adults in Ukraine

Background. Diabetes-related distress (DRD) is a psychological syndrome with worsened prognosis in uncontrolled diabetic patients. Risk of DRD progression is increased with uncontrolled diabetes, development of complications, concomitant medical conditions, and complicated treatment regimens. In addition to the di­sease burden, there are other factors that increase the risk of DRD such as lower level of education, younger age, se­dentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, and poor self-care behavior. The current study purposed to assess the factors contributing to DRD among the Ukrainian population using the Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS-17) score and its sub-scores. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted between January and June 2024 enrolling 125 diabetic patients from five Ukrainian regions. The survey included two parts: the first section gathe­red sociodemographic data and the second one focused on assessing the DDS-17 score. Results. Participants aged 46 years old and above had higher emotional distress compared to younger patients. Those with a primary educational level showed significantly higher emotional distress than those with a secondary level of education. Participants who were treated with both insulin and non-insulin medications or had a diastolic blood pressure of more than 90 mm Hg showed significant moderate to high distress. Participants who lived in rural areas showed higher distress. Obese and overweight people had significant moderate to high distress. The association between medical history with total distress showed that participants with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of more than 8.0 followed by those who had HbA1c between 7.1 and 8.0 showed moderate to high total distress. Conclusions. It is concluded that the prevalence of DRD is high in Ukraine, more common among rural residents, and among participants with high HbA1c, low educational level and those on complex treatment regimens. Screening for DRD and providing better support can optimize clinical outcomes.