PSYCHOSOCIAL SEQUELAE OF VISUAL-LOSS IN DIABETES

This study evaluated whether degree of related visual impairment is as sociated with degree of psychological symptoms in general, and specifi cally more somatization, depression, anxiety, phobic anxiety, fear of hypoglycemia, and stress. A total of 49 volunteer subjects with diabet es-induced visual impairment were subdivided into totally blind and pa rtially sighted groups, and were compared with 62 nonvisually impaired adults with diabetes. All were given the Brief Symptom index, the Hyp oglycemic Fear Survey, and the Perceived Stress Scale, along with a ge neral questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics. Mean scores of the partially sighted group did not differ from the nonvisually im paired group, but the blind subjects reported more general psychologic al symptoms, somatization, anxiety, and phobic anxiety. Significantly more blind than sighted subjects exhibited clinical elevations opt anx iety, phobic anxiety, and fear of hypoglycemia. Regression analysis co nfirmed the significant visual loss on psychological functioning and r evealed large individual differences in how patients respond to visual loss. Future research needs to investigate the human and financial co sts, risk factors, and sic.