Screening for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and associated factors in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes: Cross-sectional results of a Germany-wide population-based study.

AIMS: The aims of this study were to screen 14- to 30-year-olds with early-onset type 1 diabetes for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and to compare the characteristics of the study participants who had a positive result for GAD with those who had a negative result.

METHODS

This study used data from a questionnaire survey conducted from 2018 to 2019. The GAD-7 questionnaire was used to screen for GAD (positive: GAD-7 score ≥ 10). All regression analyses were adjusted for age, sex, depression diagnosis and considered multiple testing.

RESULTS

The 713 participants had a mean GAD-7 score of 4.32 (SD 4.18). A total of 12% of the study population (10% of adolescents, 13% of adults) was screened positive for GAD. Positive screening results were associated with impairments in various domains, such as self-assessed physical performance (RR poor versus good 3.03 [95% CI 1.85-4.96]), difficulty falling asleep (RR ≥3 times/week versus not during the last 4 weeks 5.36 [2.86-10.07]), glycemic control (RR HbA1c per 1% 1.16 [1.03-1.31]), and diabetes treatment satisfaction (RR poor versus good 2.67 [1.43-5.00]).

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetologists should be aware that adolescents and young adults with GAD symptoms might experience extensive impairments in their daily lives.