The Impact of Digital Psycho-Religious Therapy on Stress Reduction and Quality of Life in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus in Indonesia

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease that imposes significant stress and reduces quality of life (QoL), complicating glycaemic control and increasing complications. Leveraging digital platforms offers a scalable and efficient solution, especially in resource-constrained settings such as Indonesia. Objective: This study evaluates the efficacy of a digital psycho-religious therapy program in alleviating stress and enhancing QoL among type 2 DM patients in Indonesia. Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest-post-test control group design was employed with 300 patients diagnosed with type 2 DM in West Java, Indonesia. Stress levels were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), while QoL was assessed with the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire, both at baseline and after the intervention. Statistical analyses, including descriptive and regression were conducted to evaluate outcomes. Results: The intervention group experienced a significant reduction in stress (scores decreased from 25.6 ± 4.2 to 16.4 ± 3.5, p < 0.001) and a marked improvement in QoL (scores increased from 58.7 ± 6.5 to 72.4 ± 5.8, p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that group allocation, baseline scores, and age were significant predictors of outcomes, whereas a longer duration of diabetes was associated with reduced improvements. Conclusion: Digital psycho-religious therapy is a promising intervention for stress reduction and QoL improvement in type 2 DM patients, with potential applicability in other low-resource settings. Future research should investigate the long-term effects and broader applicability of this intervention.