The psychosocial problem areas, needs and resources in people with coexisting schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes. Design and results of a survey study.

AIM: To explore the illness and treatment burden, mental well-being, and received support for illness management among people with schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

62 Danish adults recruited from psychiatric outpatient clinics participated in this cross-sectional study using a questionnaire compiled for this specific purpose. The questionnaire included measures of burden of illness and treatment (daily impact of diabetes and schizophrenia, treatment burden, diabetes empowerment), mental well-being (general well-being and diabetes distress), and social relations and support (general and illness-specific support). Descriptive analyses of survey data were conducted.

RESULTS

Participants reported daily negative impact from living with schizophrenia and diabetes on their physical health, emotional well-being, sleep, and feelings about their future. However, this negative impact was higher from schizophrenia than type 2 diabetes. 55% of all participants reported high treatment burden, and 74% reported low to moderate diabetes empowerment. Approximately 30% reported high levels of diabetes distress, and 49% reported low general well-being. The support for schizophrenia mainly came from mental health professionals, care coordinators, and family and friends, while diabetes support mainly came from general practitioners and family and friends.

CONCLUSIONS

Living with coexisting schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes often involves a high burden of illness and treatment, low diabetes empowerment, high diabetes distress and low general well-being. This study highlights a need for engaging mental health professionals, care coordinators, family and friends in the daily management of coexisting schizophrenia and diabetes in future interventional studies and clinical practice.