Understanding the Link Between Diabetes Complications and Mental Health
A recent study has unveiled a two-way relationship between complications arising from diabetes, such as heart attacks and strokes, and mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. The findings indicate that having complications from diabetes increases the risk of developing mental health issues, and vice versa.
According to researchers, this connection may also be “less direct,” as both diabetes complications and mental health conditions share multiple risk factors, including obesity and difficulties in managing blood sugar levels. These factors elevate the likelihood of developing both types of disorders.
“Most likely, a combination of direct and indirect effects and shared risk factors drive the association we are seeing,” said Maya Watanabe, a biostatistician at Harvard University’s School of Public Health and the study’s lead author, published in the journal Diabetes Care.
Watanabe also noted, “Diabetes care providers may be able to simultaneously prevent the risk of multiple complications by providing interventions to treat these shared risk factors.”
Study Insights
The study analyzed insurance claims data from over 500,000 individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, alongside more than 350,000 individuals without diabetes, covering the years 2001 to 2018.
Researchers found that individuals with chronic diabetes complications had a two to three times higher risk of developing mental health conditions. Conversely, those with mental health disorders were found to be up to 2.5 times more likely to experience sustained diabetes complications.
“We found a consistent bidirectional association between chronic diabetes complications and mental health disorders across the lifespan, highlighting the important relationship between both sets of conditions. Prevention and treatment of either comorbidity may help reduce the risk of developing the other,” the authors stated.
Interestingly, the study revealed that individuals under 60 years of age with type 1 diabetes were more likely to experience chronic complications, while those with type 2 diabetes were more prone to mental health disorders.
Exploring the Bi-Directional Relationship
The researchers suggest that the bi-directional relationship may stem from direct effects of diabetes complications on mental health, as well as the impact of mental health conditions on diabetes management.
“For instance, a stroke can have detrimental effects on the brain, potentially leading to depression,” explained Brian Callaghan, a professor of neurology at the University of Michigan and senior author of the study.
“Additionally, having a mental health condition alongside diabetes can hinder a person’s ability to manage their diabetes effectively, such as maintaining glycemic control or adhering to medication regimens, which may subsequently increase the risk of diabetes complications,” Callaghan added.
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