Objectives: The 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created serious physical and mental problems in older adults with diabetes. Aging, obese adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. COVID-19 related worries may exacerbate their diabetes-related psychological symptoms of diabetes distress or depression. Our team investigated the impact of COVID-19 worries on levels of diabetes distress and depressive symptoms in older adults with T2D.

Methods: Data were collected using an online survey from June to December 2020 across the United States. COVID-19 worries were measured using eight questions (scale range 0-4) developed by Barbara and Kim (2020). Psychological symptoms were assessed using the Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS) and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) depression version 1.0. Data were analyzed using bivariate correlation and tobit regression analyses.

Results: A total of 84 adults aged ≥ 60 years with T2D were included (age 68.46 ± 5.41, female 54.76%, White 77.38%). Participants reported moderate COVID-19 worries (1.70 ± .93), little or no diabetes distress (1.55 ± .63), and fewer depressive symptoms than the U.S. normative sample (48.92 ± 8.10). COVID-19 worries were associated with DDS total and emotional and regimen-related subscores (r = .25-.34) and PROMIS depression scores (r = .41). One point increase in COVID-19 worries increased DDS-total by .25, DDS-emotional by .34, DDS-physician by .58, DDS-regimen by .42, and PROMIS depression by 3.95.

Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic created worries that worsened common diabetes-related psychological symptoms. Our results indicated that diabetes distress, especially emotional and physician- and regimen-related distress, should be closely monitored in addition to depressive symptoms in this population during and after the pandemic, as these symptoms have been associated with poor self-care.

Disclosure

M. Kim: None. C. G. Park: None. C. Fritschi: None.

Funding

National Institute on Aging (P30AG022849); University of Illinois Seth and Denise Rosen Memorial Research Award; Sigma Theta Tau International (Alpha Lambda Chapter)

© 2021 by the American Diabetes Association
2021
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