Assessment of the perceived impact ofdiabetes on quality of life in a group ofSouth African diabetic patients

[摘要] OBJECTIVES: To determine perceived Quality of Life (QOL) of the diabetic patient andto assess whether QOL is associated with diabetes-related markers.DESIGN: This was a descriptive cross sectional study.SETTING: A multiethnic group of type 1 and 2 diabetic patients (n= 68) attending adiabetic clinic in Alberton, South Africa, were evaluated.SUBJECTS OUTCOME MEASURES: QOL was assessed by means of the Audit ofDiabetes-Dependant Quality of Life (ADDQoL) questionnaire. Glycaemic control, durationof Diabetes Mellitus (DM), type of DM, diabetic complications, level of education andnutritional status were evaluated.RESULTS: Ninety eight percent of diabetic patients perceived their DM to impactnegatively on their QOL (p=0.03). QOL and glycaemic control were significantly (p=0.03)related. QOL and the duration (p=0.80) or type (p=0.77) of DM were not significantlyrelated. QOL ratings were lower in participants who had hypertension and hyperlipidaemia,whereas this trend was not present in those with microvascular complications. There was atrend towards a negative relationship between QOL and weight (p=0.10), BMI (p=0.10)and WC (p=0.41). All 13 individual life domains were significantly related (p < 0.05) toQOL for the group as a whole. Rankings of individual life domains differed between type 1and type 2 diabetics (p<0.05) as well as between black and white subjects (p<0.05).CONCLUSIONS: These results show that DM impacts on various aspects of QOL andthat various population sub-groups perceive their DM to impact differently on their QOL.QOL assessments should therefore form part of DM management and should be culturallysensitive.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University