Evidence mapPaperPMID 41500976Full record

ArticleDiabetes, obesity & metabolism2026

Independent associations of mental health and diabetes complications with health-related quality of life: Evidence from a cross-sectional study.

Norbert Hermanns, Philip Kittel, Paco Cerletti, Bernhard Kulzer, Dominic Ehrmann

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Diabetes, obesity & metabolism, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Norbert HermannsResearch Institute Diabetes Academy Mergentheim (FIDAM), Bad Mergentheim, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-2903-2677
Philip KittelRoche Diagnostics International Ltd., Rotkreuz, Switzerland.
Paco CerlettiRoche Diagnostics International AG, Basel, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-5792-2135
Bernhard KulzerResearch Institute Diabetes Academy Mergentheim (FIDAM), Bad Mergentheim, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-9120-4479
Dominic EhrmannResearch Institute Diabetes Academy Mergentheim (FIDAM), Bad Mergentheim, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-5794-5596

Funding

Roche Diagnostics International Ltd
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsHealth-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a key patient-reported outcome in diabetes care, yet the extent to which somatic and psychological factors are associated with HRQoL remains unclear. This study examined how demographic, diabetes-related, medical, and psychological factors were independently associated with HRQoL in adults with diabetes. MATERIALS AND

methodsA cross-sectional online survey was conducted among adults with diabetes in Germany (September 2024-February 2025). HRQoL was assessed using the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). Participants also completed the PHQ-8 for depressive symptoms, the problem areas in diabetes (PAID) scale, and the hypoglycaemia fear survey (HFS-II). Clinical variables were self-reported and included diabetes type, duration, HbA1c, body mass index (BMI), and complications. Tobit regression accounted for the censored EQ-5D distribution. Blockwise multivariable models evaluated incremental explained variance across demographic, diabetes-related, comorbidity, and mental-health domains.

resultsOf 1581 invitees, 734 completed the EQ-5D (mean age 56 ± 14 years; 73% type I). In multivariable analyses, female sex (β = -0.045), higher BMI (β = -0.029), diabetic foot syndrome (β = -0.078), neuropathy (β = -0.123), and elevated depressive symptoms (β = -0.212), diabetes distress (β = -0.069), and fear of hypoglycaemia (β = -0.085) were all independently associated with lower EQ-5D utilities (p < 0.01). Mental-health variables explained a similar proportion of variance (≈22%) as diabetes-related complications (≈20%). Mental health factors like depression, diabetes distress, and fear of hypoglycaemia showed highly significant associations with reduced HRQoL by up to 27%.

conclusionsBoth diabetes complications and mental health determine HRQoL in people with diabetes. Depression emerged as the strongest independent predictor reducing HRQoL by up to 21%. This underscores the importance of mental health for HRQoL. This findings highlight the relevance of integrating mental health assessment into diabetes management.

Indexed as

Diabetes ComplicationsMental HealthQuality of LifeAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesDepressionFemaleGermanyHumansHypoglycemiaMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and Questionnaireshealth economicsobservational studypatient reported outcomesreal‐world evidence

Identifiers

PMID41500976
PMCPMC12890743

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.