Functional disability and associated factors among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus at comprehensive specialized Hospital, University of Gondar, Ethiopia

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasingly contributing to functional disability, especially in low-resource settings like Ethiopia. Despite its impact, evidence on the burden and determinants of disability among T2DM patients remains limited. Objective To assess the prevalence of functional disability and its associated factors among individuals with T2DM at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 979 systematically selected T2DM patients. Functional disability was measured using the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. Ordinal logistic regression identified associated factors, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results Of 951 respondents (97.1% response rate), 40.2% (95% CI: 37.1–43.3%) had functional disability—37.9% mild and 2.3% moderate. Significant predictors included female sex (AOR = 1.48), illiteracy (AOR = 1.94), large family size (AOR = 1.89), family history of diabetes (AOR = 2.22), hospitalization (AOR = 2.08), alcohol use (AOR = 1.73), poor diabetes knowledge (AOR = 1.92), non-adherence to treatment (AOR = 5.33), anxiety (AOR = 5.24), and poor foot care (AOR = 1.82). Conclusion Functional disability is common among T2DM patients. Targeted interventions focusing on education, adherence, and psychosocial support are essential to reduce disability and improve patient outcomes.