Mental health and social adaptation in young adults with juvenile-onset diabetes

Abstract

To ascertain whether juvenile-onset diabetes is complicated by an increased number of mental health disorders in young adults, we examined a group of 63 patients and 123 healthy controls with the Present State Examination (PSE) at the age of 19–25 years. We also evaluated the social development and the significance of psychiatric disorder on social life. The overall prevalence of mental disorders was 17% (CI₉₅, 8–26%) among diabetics and 20% (CI₉₅, 13–27%) among controls. Depressive disorders were identified in 14% of the patients and in 11% of the controls, but the diabetics' depression presented as more severe affective disorder. Both specific and nonspecific neurotic symptoms evaluated on the basis of the PSE subscores were more common in diabetics than in controls. In social development diabetics had had more problems than the controls in schooling and in separation from parents. We could conclude that just to have diabetes since childhood cannot be considered a risk factor for mental health on achieving young adulthood. The disease can only strenghten the severity of psychological symptoms, especially depression.