Prevalence and predictors of psychiatric disorders among Egyptian patients with diabetes

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major chronic health condition that is intricately and reciprocally connected to psychiatric disorders which may hinder treatment adherence and disease control. Untreated psychiatric disorders can negatively impact a patient's social life and general well-being. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of different psychiatric disorders among diabetic patients and explore risk factors potentially linked to the development of these disorders. Methods: Hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted among adult patients with diabetes (both type 1 & type 2). The study was conducted at diabetes outpatient clinics at large referral hospital between October 2021 and April 2023. The Arabic version of a predesigned structured interviewer administered questionnaire Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was used to screen for psychiatric disorders. Results: The study included 450 patients. Approximately 48.4% (n=218) of the patients had at least one psychiatric disorder. Suicidality, panic, agoraphobia, social phobia and generalized anxiety disorders were significantly more common in type 1 than type 2 diabetes [odds ratio and 95% confidence were 5.1 (1.7-15.6), 2.3 (1.1-4.9), 3.8 (1.7-8.5), 4.3 (0.9-19.6), 2.1 (1.2-3.7), respectively]. Uncontrolled diabetes, comorbid condition, younger age ≤ 53, female patients and having siblings ≤ 3 were the only independent significant predictors for psychiatric disorders [odds ratio and 95% confidence were 9.1 (5-16.7), 3.1 (1.9-5.2), 2.57 (1.5-4.5), 1.7 (1-2.9), and 1.8 (1-2.9), respectively]. Conclusions: Psychiatric disorders are highly prevalent among diabetic patients. Integrating routine psychological screening and mental health support into diabetes care, particularly for high-risk groups, is crucial to enhance treatment outcomes.