Diabetes-related distress and quality of life among people with type 2 diabetes at primary care level in Brazil

Purpose Living with diabetes can be challenging, particularly when it comes to dealing with psychological distress and requiring self-care directives. Patients may feel frustrated, angry, overwhelmed, and discouraged. This study aimed to investigate the diabetes-related distress and quality of life among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods A cross-sectional study carried out at the Clinical Research Centre at the University of Campinas, Brazil, between September 2020 and April 2021. Patients answered data regarding demographic and clinical variables, the Brazilian version of the Diabetes Distress Scale and the Diabetes Quality of Life (QOL) Measure by telephone contact. The data were managed using the RedCap System. For statistical analysis of the data, the Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests were applied for comparisons, and the Chi-square test for associations. The correlations were evaluated using the Spearman correlation coefficient. Results Out of the 302 participants we recruited, 50.33% exhibited significant diabetes-related distress. Those with elevated diabetes-related distress scores had shorter education levels ( p < 0.05), lower HbA1c levels ( p < 0.05), and lower total scores in Diabetes QOL Measure ( p < 0.0001), particularly in the QOL impact ( p < 0.0001), social/vocational worry ( p < 0.05), and diabetes worry ( p < 0.0001) subscales compared to the group with the lowest diabetes-related distress. Conclusion Elevated diabetes-related stress scores significantly affect patients’ QOL. Therefore, early screening of individuals at risk for this condition, using well-coordinated protocols, could mitigate adverse QOL effects and enhance their overall experience during disease management.