Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Author Spotlight: Integrating Tai Chi with Mindfulness Training to Achieve an Effective Mind-Body Exercise
Published on: July 14, 2023
Emotional distress in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus
Joane Viecili Cechetti1, Márcia Puñales2, Luiza Zamprogna Vieira da Cunha1
1Departament of Dentistry School, Faculdade Meridional/IMED, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil.
Aim:
This study aimed to analyze the association between emotional distress and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), with respect to dental anxiety, microvascular diabetes chronic complications, demographic conditions.
Method:
The cross-sectional study design included 100 adolescents and young adults with T1DM, from regional diabetes reference center. The clinical and laboratory data were obtained from medical records. Distress and dental anxiety scales were produced from questionnaires that were validated for emotional distress (DDS) and dental anxiety (Corah Scale). Multiple analyses estimated odds ratios and their respective 95% confidence intervals using a binary logistic regression model (P < .05).
Results:
The mean participants age was 20.7 ± 5.5 years, and 52% were female. Of the patients, 19% presented with chronic microvascular diabetes complications (nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy). Regarding the distress scale, 53% of the patients presented with high DDS and 83% had little to slight anxiety with dental procedures. There were statistically significant differences when variables were adjusted in the model, such as that of microvascular diabetes chronic complications and female gender with emotional distress.
Conclusions:
Our results showed that female sex and microvascular diabetes chronic complications are associated with greater emotional distress in patients with T1DM.
Related Concept Videos
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...
Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer
Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
Diabetes: Management and Pharmacotherapy
Insulin remains the cornerstone of treatment for most patients with type 1 and many...
Pathophysiology of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility,...

