What Is Diabetes Distress?

Jay H. Shubrook, DO: Welcome to Everyday Diabetes: Practical Pointers for Primary Care. I am Jay Shubrook, a family physician and diabetologist at Touro University, California.

Today I have William Polonsky, PhD, a certified diabetes educator and president of the Behavioral Diabetes Institute in San Diego, California. Thanks for joining us today, Dr Polonsky.

William H. Polonsky, PhD: My pleasure. Thanks.

Shubrook: There is a lot to managing diabetes. Certainly, in primary care, we know about the important role of mental health issues in the management of diabetes. We also know some of the barriers to management of diabetes—quite honestly, any chronic disease—that those with mental health issues must address. Now there is a new term: diabetes distress. Could you tell me a little bit about diabetes distress? What is different about diabetes distress?

Polonsky: We've been doing research on diabetes distress for several decades now. It refers to the hidden aggravations, stresses, and burdens that come with managing a tough disease like diabetes. It is about all the frustrations, fears, and discouragement that people go through on a daily basis. And we know that those can really get in the way and make it tough for people to engage with their diabetes in a way that can help them be successful.