The European Society for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) has invited healthcare professionals, researchers and people affected by diabetes to provide feedback on the draft of its new clinical practice guideline. The guideline aims to support standardisation of the assessment and management of diabetes distress in clinical practice. It is the first to be developed under the EASD’s new guideline development process, which is aligned to internationally recognised principles.
Diabetes distress refers to the emotional strain or burden that arises from living with diabetes and dealing with its daily demands. Elevated diabetes distress is very common in adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and occurs when an individual perceives that the challenges of living with or managing their condition outweigh their ability to cope. It is not a diagnosable mental health condition and requires a different therapeutic approach.
The negative impacts of diabetes distress on mental health and the long-term course of diabetes mean that it is vital that individuals with high diabetes distress are identified in a timely manner. Early recognition offers a strong opportunity to prevent more serious mental health problems, to reduce the risk of complications and of early death, and to support better quality of life.
Addressing how and when to assess diabetes distress, the guideline includes a set of eight evidence-based recommendations and the rationale for them. Two further sets of nine recommendations address the management of diabetes distress in adults with type 1 and with type 2 diabetes. These are based on psychological and psychoeducational interventions.
The guideline is intended for use by relevant healthcare professionals, including DSNs, nurse practitioners and practice nurses. A public consultation period will end on 31 October 2025, after which the feedback will be reviewed and considered for inclusion before the final guideline is published early next year.
The draft guideline can be read here.
