Mental Health among Spanish Adults with Diabetes: Findings from a Population-Based Case–Controlled Study

• Main Authors: Marta Lopez-Herranz, Rodrigo Jiménez-García, Zichen Ji, Javier de Miguel-Diez, David Carabantes-Alarcon, Clara Maestre-Miquel, José J. Zamorano-León, Ana López-de-Andrés
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: diabetes mellitus; mental disorders; psychological distress; psychotropic drugs; prevalence
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/11/6088
• ISSN: 1661-7827; 1660-4601

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the prevalence of self-reported mental disorders, psychological distress, and psychotropic drug consumption among people with diabetes mellitus (DM) and matched non-DM controls. Methods: A case–controlled study using data from the Spanish National Health Interview Survey was conducted in 2017. We identified 2116 DM adults (aged ≥35 years). Non-DM controls were matched 1:1 by age, sex, and province of residence. Results: Prevalence of mental disorders (25.0% vs. 19.2%; <i>p</i> < 0.001), psychological distress (29% vs. 19.5%; <i>p</i> < 0.001), and consumption of psychiatric medications (29.7% vs. 23.5%; <i>p</i> < 0.001) among DM cases were higher than those among matched non-DM controls. The DM patient variables associated with experiencing a mental disorder, psychological distress, and consumption of psychiatric medications were: being a woman, worse self-rated health, and a visit to a psychologist within the last year. Older age (≥80 years) was associated with a lower probability of reporting mental disorders and psychological distress among DM cases. Not practicing physical exercise was significantly associated with experiencing psychological distress. Conclusions: Adults with DM included in our investigation have a significantly higher prevalence of mental disorders, psychological distress, and consumption of psychiatric medications than non-DM controls. It is necessary to implement screening strategies and psychological interventions to improve the mental health of DM patients in Spain, focusing especially on women and those aged 35 to 59 years.