A Digital Framework for Screening and Managing Diabetes Distress
Keywords:
Diabetes distress, DDS-17, Digital health, DSME, Primary care interventionAbstract
Diabetes distress (DD), the emotional burden associated with managing diabetes, affects up to half of adults with type 2 diabetes and significantly impairs adherence, glycemic control, and quality of life. Despite its prevalence, DD remains underdiagnosed in primary care due to limited provider training, time constraints, and lack of integration with routine workflows. This study presents a digital framework for screening and managing DD using the validated Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS-17) and a structured Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) program delivered via weekly telephonic sessions. Conducted in a rural primary care setting in Imperial County, California, the intervention involved four adult participants with A1c ≥ 8%. All participants demonstrated clinically meaningful reductions in DDS-17 scores and reported improved self-efficacy. Clinician feedback indicated strong patient engagement, high ease of use, and favourable integration potential, though time burden was a moderate concern. The results suggest that even low-cost, digitally facilitated psychosocial interventions can significantly reduce emotional burden in diabetes and are feasible in resource-constrained settings. The study recommends broader implementation of DD screening in primary care, expanded delivery modalities, and further research into long-term outcomes and health system integration.
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