Quality of life in diabetics with different complications: A cross-sectional study with patients visiting a hospital on an outpatient basis

Abstract

Objective: Recent data suggest that the incidence of Type II diabetes mellitus (DM2) is on a rise and is a major cause for health-care costs, morbidity and mortality. The major problem with DM II is the secondary complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, diabetic foot disease, cardiovascular complications and neuropathy which severely hamper the afflicted individual's resources and quality of life (QOL). In the present study, we have attempted at understanding the QOL using the QOL instrument for Indian diabetic patients (QOLID). Aim: The principal objective of the study is to ascertain the QOL is DM II with and without complications in patients visiting a hospital on an outpatient basis. The QOLID is of advantage herewith as the eight domains address all relevant aspects afflicting the QOL of the patients. Materials and Methods: Depending on the complications and prevalence, we included six groups; diabetics without complications (Group I, n = 89), retinopathy (Group II, n = 72), nephropathy (Group III, n = 53), diabetic foot disease (Group IV, n = 86), cardiovascular complications (Group V, n = 25) and neuropathy (Group VI, n = 57). The demographic information, diabetes history, medication and QOLID were collected using a structured questionnaire. The collected data were analysed using the analysis of variance followed by Bonferroni post-multiple comparison test. A value of P