OBJECTIVE

We tested the hypothesis that impaired awareness of hypoglycemia (IAH) is independently associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression in type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

In this cross-sectional observational study in 950 adults with type 1 diabetes, associations were examined using multiple regression models, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

RESULTS

Prevalence for probable anxiety, depression, and IAH were 9.4%, 9.8%, and 22.6%, respectively. When included in separate regression models, both depression and anxiety were independently associated with an increased odds of IAH and robust to adjustment (odds ratio 3.64 [95% CI 2.19–6.04] and 2.46 [1.46–4.14], respectively). Further analysis demonstrated a dose-response relationship between increased severity of probable mental disorder and increased odds of having IAH (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The robust independent relationship between probable anxiety and depression with IAH demonstrates the need for routine psychological assessment and management of people with type 1 diabetes and IAH.

This article contains supplementary material online at https://doi.org/10.2337/figshare.20405418.

B.A.P. and G.A.I.B.-C. contributed equally as joint first authors.

© 2022 by the American Diabetes Association
2022
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