Prevalence and Major Risk Factors of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Among Adult Psychiatric Patients in Taif Mental Hospital in Saudi Arabia

Background: Patients who suffer from psychiatric disorders have a higher likelihood of developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Determining the prevalence of T2DM among individuals with psychiatric disorders is challenging due to the underdiagnosis of diabetes among this population. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of T2DM among adult psychiatric patients in Taif Mental Hospital, Saudi Arabia. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adult psychiatric patients from June to November 2023 using a data collection sheet comprised of socio-demographic characteristics, the prevalence of T2DM, and the factors that may contribute to T2DM. Results: A study was conducted on 138 patients with psychiatric orders, most of whom (95.7%) were Saudi nationals, with 60.9% of them being female. Patients had a mean (Standard deviation [SD]) age of 42.7 (13.45) years old and a mean (SD) body mass index (BMI) of 29.3 (6.59) kg/m2. The patients had been suffering from psychiatric disorders for a mean (SD) of years of 10.3 (9.34) years. The prevalence of T2DM among patients with psychiatric disorders was 23.2%. The psychiatric patients aged more than 40 years (37.5%) had a significantly higher prevalence of T2DM compared to those aged less than or equal to 40 years (7.6%) (p<0.001). The patients with anxiety disorders (42.1%) had a significantly higher prevalence of T2DM compared to those who had other psychotic disorders (20.2%) (p=0.044). Psychiatric patients with complications (47.2%) had a significantly higher prevalence of T2DM compared to those who had not (7.3%) (p<0.001). Conclusion: Our study provides further evidence of the association between psychiatric disorders and an increased risk of T2DM. Implementing regular screening programs, managing anxiety disorders, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and providing comprehensive care are recommended for psychiatric patients with T2DM and comorbidities.