Psychosocial burden of diabetes in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize the extent of the psychosocial burden among persons with diabetes (PWD) in Africa. A total of 83 relevant articles published between 2000 and 2024 which reported on the psychosocial burden of diabetes (depression, anxiety, diabetes distress, or mental quality of life) were identified through electronic searches in Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed, CINAHL, and African Journals Online. The pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, moderate-to-high diabetes distress, and low mental quality of life were 43.3% (95% CI: 37.7–49.1, n = 34 studies), 38.8% (95% CI: 27.4–51.5, n = 12 studies), 48.8% (95% CI: 34.2–63.6, n = 8 studies), and 43.9% (95% CI: 35.6–52.6, n = 8 studies) respectively. These findings emphasize the substantial psychosocial burden faced by PWD in Africa and the need for integrating mental health into diabetes care in the region.