January - March 2023, Volume 19, Issue 1

Altintas E, Simsek Bagir G, Eksi Haydardedeoglu F, Bag H

Effect of Health Anxiety on Glycemic Control in Patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus: A Single Center, Cross Sectional Study

Acta Endo (Buc) 2023, 19 (1): 73-80
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2023.73

Context. Health anxiety was rarely investigated in Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Objectives. The present study examines the effect of health anxiety on glycemic control and evaluates factors associated with health anxiety in patients with T2DM according to HbA1c level. Design. Cross-sectional. Subjects and Methods. Socio Demographic Data Form (SDVF), Health Anxiety Inventory-Short Form(SHAI), The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were administered to 185 patients with Type II DM . Patients were divided into two groups according to HbA1 c level (HbA1c levels below 7 (Group 1, n=69) and above 7 (Group 2, n=185)). We analyzed prevalence of health anxiety, factors associated with health anxiety between poor and good glycemic control and evaluated of T2DM patients according to health anxiety scale scores. Results. SHAI scale scores were low in 52 (28%), intermediate in 58 (31.2%) and high in 76 (40.8%) of the patients. We found the severity of depressive symptoms was positively correlated with health anxiety in both groups. As a result of this study, there was a relationship between high education and low socioeconomic level, having a job, exercise and anxiety level and low SHAI score in T2DM patients. Depression, stressful life events in the last 6 months were related with high health anxiety. Although the level of health anxiety was not different between groups, low blood sugar levels were related with high health anxiety. Conclusions. This study found that the prevalence of health anxiety in T2DM patients was higher than expected irrespective to poor or good glycemic control, but level of health anxiety in patients with T2DM is not a good predictor for the HbA1c level.

Keywords: health anxiety, depression, HbA1c, Type II diabetes mellitus.

Correspondence: Ebru Altintas, Assoc Prof., MD, Baskent University, School of Medicine, Adana, 01250, Turkey, E-mail: yurdagulebru@hotmail.com