There is value in treating elevated levels of diabetes distress: the clinical impact of targeted interventions in adults with Type 1 diabetes

Authors: Hessler D, Fisher L, Polonsky W, Strycker L, Parra J, Bowyer V, Dedhia M, Masharani U.

Abstract

Aim: To compare the effect of targeted interventions to reduce high diabetes distress among adults with Type 1 diabetes with a comparison sample of similar but untreated individuals, and to document the stability of untreated diabetes distress over time.

Methods: A total of 51 adults with Type 1 diabetes with elevated baseline diabetes distress (distress score ≥ 2.0) and HbA1c levels (≥ 58 mmol/mol) were identified from a longitudinal, non-intervention study, and compared with a similar sample of 51 participants in an intervention study. Both groups completed the T1-DDS diabetes distress questionnaire at baseline and 9 months.

Results: Large and significant reductions in diabetes distress scores were recorded in the intervention group (mean ± sd change = -0.6 ± 0.6), while minimal change was found in the non-intervention group (-0.2 ± 0.6, group effect P = 0.002; effect size d = 0.67). Additional analyses using the established minimal clinically important difference for the T1-DDS showed that diabetes distress increased significantly (minimal clinically important difference ≥ 1) or persisted at high levels for 51% of participants in the non-intervention group, compared with 23.5% in the intervention group.

Conclusion: Our results showed that targeted interventions led to dramatic reductions in diabetes distress compared with a lack of treatment. We also conclude that elevated diabetes distress, when left unaddressed, does not resolve over time and often remains chronic.

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31314907/

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June 22Using CGM in Diabetes Self-Care
At the American Diabetes Association’s 85th Scientific Sessions (Chicago, IL), Dr. Polonsky, BDI President, will be speaking on Tell Me Why—Using CGM to Drive Changes in Diabetes Self-Care. He also serves a co-author on six poster presentations on that day:
June 23EMBARK
At the American Diabetes Association’s 85th Scientific Sessions (Chicago, IL), Dr. Fisher, BDI Research Director, will present Reducing Diabetes Distress Leads to Positive Glycemic Change—Results from the EMBARK Trial
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August 8 – 10. Taking Control of Your Diabetes (TCOYD) will be hosting the in-person ONE event, an amazing weekend experience here in San Diego for more than 500 people with type 1 diabetes and their loved ones. Dr. Polonsky is honored to be one of the presenters, and we will hope to see many of you there. There are still a few spaces left, so if you’d like to know more, please visit: