Abstract
Objective: The importance of diabetes-related distress (DRD) for the treatment of diabetes is
emphasized in national and international guidelines recommending routinely screening
for psychosocial problems. To detect DRD, the PAID (Problem Area In Diabetes) questionnaire
provides a valid and reliable instrument.
Research Design and Methods: 783 patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM1, n=191, age 54.5 y, diabetes duration
22.5 y, HbA1c 7.2% (55 mmol/mol)) and type 2 (DM2, n=592, age 66.6 y, diabetes duration
15.6 y, HbA1c 7.0% (60.1 mmol/mol)) were interviewed with the PAID and WHO-5 questionnaire
in a University outpatient department for endocrinology and metabolic diseases in
2012. A PAID score≥40 (range 0–100) was considered as high DRD.
Results: The mean PAID score was 17.1±15.1 in all participants. Only 8.9% of all responders
showed high DRD (score≥40). The PAID score neither differed in people with DM1 and
DM2, nor between participants with DM2 with or without insulin therapy. Females achieved
significantly higher scores than men (19.0±16.6 vs. 15.6±13.7, p=0.003). A strong
negative correlation existed between the PAID score and the WHO-5 Well-being Index
(r=− 0.482, p<0.001). A 10 points higher WHO-5 Well-being Index was associated with
15.9 points lower PAID score in people with DM1 (p<0.001), and 9.2 points lower PAID
score in DM2 (p<0.001), respectively. One percent higher HbA1c was associated with
an increase of diabetes-related distress by 2.5 points in people with DM1 and by 2.0
points in people with DM2.
Conclusions: Less than 10% of our outpatients with diabetes showed high diabetes-related distress.
Key words
diabetes-related distress - PAID questionnaire - WHO-5 questionnaire
