Stress among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangkok

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate perceived stress levels and associated factors among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) attending a tertiary care hospital in Bangkok using a cross-sectional study design. The sample consisted of 382 patients with T2DM receiving care at the Internal Medicine Outpatient Department and the Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinic of Vajira Hospital, recruited through consecutive sampling. Data collection was conducted between February and March 2026 using a general information questionnaire and the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression. The results showed that the majority of patients with T2DM reported moderate and high levels of perceived stress at 65.4% and 2.4%, respectively. Factors significantly associated with moderate to high perceived stress included regular physical activity (Adj. OR = 0.43; 95% CI = 0.24–0.77, P=0.004), moderate and high social support (Adj. OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.28–0.96, P=0.035; and Adj. OR = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.15–0.43, P<0.001, respectively), and a diabetes duration of more than 10 years (Adj. OR = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.39–0.99, P=0.049). Therefore, physical activity and social support may help reduce perceived stress among patients with T2DM. Routine stress assessment and screening alongside blood glucose monitoring may help identify patients at risk of elevated stress levels, particularly those with a shorter duration of diabetes, and facilitate appropriate stress management.