Health related quality of life in type-2 diabetic patients in Western India using World Health Organization Quality of Life – BREF and appraisal of diabetes scale

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disorder that affects quality of life (QOL) of patients. Measurement of QOL is an important outcome for disease management. We determined QOL in type-2 diabetics receiving drug therapy using World Health Organization Quality Of Life – BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and Appraisal of Diabetes Scale (ADS) and compared QOL between controlled and uncontrolled diabetics. Study was carried out in medicine outpatient department of tertiary care hospital for 8 weeks. All patients diagnosed with type-2 diabetes and on drug therapy for at least 1 month were included. Patients’ socio-demographic and clinical data including drug therapy were noted and then interviewed for QOL using two questionnaires - WHOQOL-BREF and ADS. Total 114 patients were enrolled with mean (±SD) age and duration of diabetes of 56.8 ± 10.5 and 8.3 ± 9.4 years respectively. Mean ADS and total WHOQOL-BREF scores for uncontrolled and controlled diabetics were significantly different (P < 0.001 and 0.042 for ADS and WHOQOL-BREF respectively). Age, duration of diabetes, number of symptoms, number of co-morbidities and number of non-pharmacological measures were significantly correlated with Health Related QOL (HRQOL) scores (P < 0.05). Total scores of both the scales were significantly correlated (P < 0.01). QOL was significantly more impaired in patients with uncontrolled diabetics than controlled diabetics. Age, duration of diabetes, number of symptoms, number of co-morbid illness, blood glucose level and number of non-pharmacological measures may be predictors of QOL for type-2 diabetics.