Sense of mastery as mediator buffering psychological distress among people with diabetes

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between diabetes with or without other comorbid somatic diseases and depression and anxiety, and to explore the mediating role of sense of mastery and social support.

Data were obtained from a cross-sectional health survey conducted in Norway (n=6827). People with diabetes alone or with simultaneous comorbid somatic diseases were compared to a group with no known somatic diseases.

Among people with diabetes alone, 16.3% reported having depression and anxiety. Having diabetes was associated with 3 times greater odds for anxiety compared to the control group, and 2 times greater odds for depression. Among individuals with diabetes and comorbid somatic diseases, 17.4% reported depression and 11.6% reported symptoms of anxiety. The odds for both were approximately 2 times greater than in the control group. Sense of mastery, but not social support, protected against depression in both groups and against anxiety in the diabetes with comorbidity group.

Comorbidity between diabetes and other somatic diseases seems to be related to depression to a larger degree, whereas having diabetes alone relates more to anxiety. This can possibly be explained by the overall burden in the comorbidity group and the related absence of sense of mastery.