Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS17)

Evaluates diabetes-related emotional distress.

Please ask your patient the degree to which each of the 17 items may have distressed or bothered them during the past month.

Feeling that diabetes is taking up too much of my mental and physical energy every day.

Feeling angry, scared, and/or depressed when I think about living with diabetes.

Feeling that diabetes controls my life.

Feeling that I will end up with serious long-term complications, no matter what I do.

Feeling overwhelmed by the demands of living with diabetes.

Feeling that my doctor doesn't know enough about diabetes and diabetes care.

Feeling that my doctor doesn't give me clear enough directions on how to manage my diabetes.

Feeling that my doctor doesn't take my concerns seriously enough.

Feeling that I don't have a doctor who I can see regularly about my diabetes.

Feeling that I am not testing my blood sugars frequently enough.

Feeling that I am often failing with my diabetes regimen.

Not feeling confident in my day-to-day ability to manage diabetes.

Feeling that I am not sticking closely enough to a good meal plan.

Not feeling motivated to keep up my diabetes self-management.

Feeling that friends or family are not supportive enough of my self-care efforts.

e.g., planning activities that conflict with my schedule, encouraging me to eat the “wrong” foods.

Feeling that friends or family don't appreciate how difficult living with diabetes can be.

Feeling that friends or family don't give me the emotional support that I would like.

Result:

Please fill out required fields.

Advice

High levels of diabetes distress are associated with poor glycemic control, self-care, treatment adherence, and quality of life.
Consider implementing interventions targeting the sources of distress to improve diabetes management. These may include behavioral modifications, additional efforts to build a therapeutic relationship, disease and treatment education, and ongoing conversations about diabetes distress.