Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 26, 2026

Author Spotlight: Integrating Tai Chi with Mindfulness Training to Achieve an Effective Mind-Body Exercise
Published on: July 14, 2023
Surprisingly few psychological problems and diabetes-related distress in patients with poor glycaemic control
E Bazelmans1, R T Netea-Maier, J H Vercoulen
1Departments of Medical Psychology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Objective:
Poor glycaemic control is an undesirable, but frequently encountered problem in diabetes. Reasons for not achieving optimal glycaemic control are not yet clear. A common belief is that psychological factors contribute importantly. This study compared general psychological problems and diabetes-related distress between patients with persistently poor glycaemic control to patients with optimal glycaemic control.
Methods:
Patients from an outpatient clinic with type 1 or type 2 diabetes with a mean HbA1c ≥ 86 mmol/mol (≥ 10%) over two consecutive years (poor-control, n = 32) and those with diabetes and a mean HbA1c ≤ 53 mmol/mol (≤ 7%) over two consecutive years (optimal-control, n = 53) were studied. Clinical characteristics were obtained from the medical records. Psychological characteristics were investigated cross-sectionally using questionnaires.
Results:
Patients in the poor-control group had a higher BMI compared with the optimal-control group. Self- reported previous anxiety was more prevalent in the poor-control group (34 versus 9%). All other mean test scores and proportions of subjects above cut-off levels were similar in the two groups.
Conclusions:
Patients with diabetes and persistently poor glycaemic control have surprisingly few psychological problems and diabetes-related emotional distress. It seems that people with diabetes do not see persistent poor glycaemic control as a problem.
Related Concept Videos
Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications
Diabetes: Management and Pharmacotherapy
Insulin remains the cornerstone of treatment for most patients with type 1 and many...
Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
Diabetes Mellitus: Overview and Type I Subtype
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As a result, the body is unable to produce sufficient insulin, and individuals with...
Hypoglycemia and Glucagon

