Psychological Disorders (Anxiety, Nervousness, and Social isolation) Among Diabetic Patients in port Sudan

Background: Diabetes is a common chronic disease characterized by persistent hyperglycemia.The International Diabetes Federation expects the number of affected individuals to reach 783 million by 2045.The psychological aspects of diabetes management are well-documented, particularly in relation to glycemic control and patient outcomes.This study aimed to determine the prevalence of psychological disorders among diabetic patients in Port Sudan.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among diabetic patients at Ahmed Hassan Center, Port Sudan.Standardized questionnaires, including the GAD-7 for anxiety and the UCLA 3-item scale for loneliness, were used.The Pearson chi-square test was employed to assess associations between variables.Results: A total of 256 diabetic patients participated in this study, with males comprising 55% of the sample.Of the participants, 28% were aged 41-60 years.The median anxiety score on the GAD-7 was 11, indicating a significant proportion of patients experienced Psychological Disorders among diabetic patients Elalim Eltayeb et al 2moderate-to-severe anxiety.Additionally, 53.9% reported experiencing nervousness sometimes, while 57.4% felt socially isolated, highlighting the prevalence of mental health concerns in this population.A significant association was found between loneliness and nervousness (p = 0.001), suggesting that increased loneliness correlates with higher levels of nervousness.Various sociodemographic factors were also associated with loneliness: females were more likely to experience loneliness (p = 0.013), whereas being married was linked to lower levels of loneliness (-0.445, p < 0.001). Conclusion:This study underscores the importance of integrating psychological care into routine diabetes management, as poor mental health can exacerbate glycemic control issues, potentially leading to serious complications.