Aims: To examine psychological adjustment and changes in the activities of daily living in relation to visual loss in diabetes.
Methods: This was an incident cohort, longitudinal, observational study contrasting the adjustment of individuals with visual loss associated with diabetes and those whose visual loss arose from other conditions; in the year subsequent to registration for blindness and 12 months later, 124 individuals participated in the study (51 with diabetes and 73 without). Participants provided demographic and biomedical information, and completed the Brief COPE, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, SF-36, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale and Social Avoidance and Distress Scale via interview. People with diabetes were compared with those without.
Results: Both diabetic and non-diabetic groups showed elevated and comparable levels of psychological morbidity, sustained over time. Significant differences in functional adjustment were found at initial interview: people with diabetes having more problems coping but these were no longer present 1 year later.
Conclusions: There was a significant and enduring elevation of anxiety and depression in those who were newly registered blind or visually handicapped. Taking these findings into account, psychological assessment should be developed for all those experiencing visual loss.