Does glycaemic status influence quality of life of type II diabetes patients: an exploratory study in Mysuru, Karnataka, India

Abstract

Background: Type II diabetes is a major public health problem in India. The epidemiological shift of the disease towards younger and middle aged individuals has resulted in longer duration of life with diabetes among the patients. Diabetes being a lifestyle disease, requiring robust behavioural and social adjustments influences the quality of life of an individual to a largest extent.Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted among 200 type II diabetic patients attending JSS Hospital, Mysuru for a period of one year. Information regarding socio-demographic characteristics like gender, education, occupation was collected in a pretested proforma by interview technique. Assessment of Quality of life was done using the WHO BREF questionnaire. Glycemic status of subjects was assessed using glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C) levels. The Data entry and Statistical analysis were done using Microsoft Excel and SPSS 22version. Descriptive statistics like mean and standard deviation of QOL calculated and analysed with Sociodemographic variables, inferential statistics like Chi-square and Man-Whitney U test was done.Results: Among 200 study participants majority, 53.5% belonged to age group of 41-60 years, 57.5% were males, 67.5% belonged to lower socio economic class according to BG Prasad classification, 85% were married, 51% were Obese, 44.5% were having family history of diabetes, 48% were having Hypertension, 68.5% were on oral hypoglycemic, 10.5% were on Insulin, 20.5% were on both oral hypoglycaemic and Insulin. Overall Quality of Life was poor in 114 (57%), 114 (57%) had Poor Physical QoL score, 109 (54.5%) had poor psychological QoL score, 108 (54%) had poor social QoL score and 113 (56.5%) had poor environmental QoL score and 87 (43.5%). Median score of overall score of QoL was less in uncontrolled diabetes when compared to controlled diabetes status, this difference was statistically significance (P value- 0.04).Conclusions: Patients with type 2 diabetes have a substantially lower quality of life. QOL was poorer in subjects with uncontrolled glycemic status compared those with good diabetic control.