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Diabetes: Women Face Mental Health Risks, Men Kidney/Heart Woes
31 Aug
Summary
- Women with diabetes more prone to mental health issues than men.
- Men with diabetes show higher rates of heart and kidney disease.
- Hypertension is the most common diabetes complication for both sexes.
New research tracking nearly 29,000 patients indicates type 2 diabetes affects men and women differently regarding health complications. For women, the greater threat appears to be mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, or somatoform disorders, with 8.1% diagnosed compared to 5.3% of men.
Conversely, men are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease or end-stage renal disease. Hypertension was identified as the most frequent complication across both sexes. However, men generally experienced complications earlier than women, who often saw a later onset of related health issues.
The study also linked diabetes with mental health conditions to earlier mortality. Individuals developing mental health issues after diabetes died significantly younger. Despite this, women utilized healthcare services more and had higher long-term prescribing rates than men.
Researchers emphasize the need for sex-specific diabetes management. This includes routine mental health screening for women, especially younger ones, and earlier cardiovascular and kidney monitoring for men. The study noted that while observational, it cannot establish cause and effect for all observed differences.
