To explore the association of Ramadan fasting with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in people with diabetes.
This study aims to investigate the impact of Ramadan fasting on the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among individuals with diabetes. Conducted at the Baqai Institute of Diabetology and Endocrinology from May to July 2017, the research involved obtaining informed consent from participants and recording their demographic and baseline information. The DASS-21 scale was employed to measure the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress before and after Ramadan. A total of 150 diabetic individuals participated, divided into 100 fasting and 50 non-fasting participants. Results showed a notable decrease in the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms from 45%, 45%, and 49% before Ramadan to 23%, 26%, and 35% after Ramadan, respectively, in the fasting group (p-value <0.0001, <0.0001, 0.001). Conversely, in the non-fasting group, the incidence of depression and anxiety symptoms slightly decreased from 34% and 50% before Ramadan to 30% and 40% after Ramadan, respectively, though the changes were not statistically significant (p-value 0.625, 0.227), and no improvement in stress symptoms was noted. The findings indicate a significant improvement in depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among diabetic individuals who participated in Ramadan fasting.
Year: 2021
