Introduction and Objective: Reducing loneliness and lack of social and emotional support (LSES) among adults with diabetes (DM) can improve diabetes management and health outcomes. Considering the distinct pathophysiology and risk factor profile of each diabetes type, we explored the prevalence of loneliness and LSES among adults with type 1 or type 2 DM using 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.Methods: Our study included 17,054 respondents with DM aged ≥18 years from 20 US states providing loneliness and LSES data. Loneliness was defined as always/usually/sometimes feeling lonely. LSES was defined as sometimes/rarely/never getting needed social and emotional support. Type 1 DM was defined as physician-diagnosed type 1 DM and currently using insulin; others were considered having type 2 DM. All data were self-reported. Crude prevalence and age-, sex-, and race and ethnicity-adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) were estimated using logistic regression.Results: The prevalence of loneliness and LSES (%, 95% CI) were 39.0 (34.2-43.7) and 28.8 (24.3-33.3) for type 1 DM and 32.3 (30.7-33.9) and 24.9 (23.3-26.6) for type 2 DM, respectively. Compared to adults without DM, the aPR (95% CI) of loneliness and LSES were 1.32 (1.17-1.49) and 1.33 (1.14-1.56) for adults with type 1 DM and 1.22 (1.16-1.28) and 1.25 (1.16-1.34) for adults with type 2 DM, respectively. We found no significant difference in the prevalence of loneliness and LSES by diabetes type (all P values >0.05). Among adults with either type 1 or type 2 DM, those aged <65 years, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and those who had never participated in diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) services had a higher prevalence of loneliness and LSES (all P values <0.05.Conclusion: More than a third of adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes report loneliness and a quarter report LSES. Addressing loneliness and LSES among people with diabetes may improve diabetes self-management skills and enhance social connectedness.
Y.J. Cheng: None. G. Zhao: None. R. Li: None. C.S. Holliday: None. R. Montierth: None. B. Rodriguez: None. K.M. Bullard: None.
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