Health-related Quality Of Life Among Type 2 Diabetics With And Without Complications

Background:As a chronic lifelong illness,diabetes mellitus which has a high rate of morbidity,disability and death,poses a serious threat to human health worldwide. Long term hyperglycemia can bring a series of complications. Diabetes complications (acute and chronic) can cause disability or premature death, seriously endangering the physical and mental health of patients, and affecting the quality of life of patients with diabetes.China has a large population of diabetes mellitus, among which type 2 diabetes accounts for more than 90%. Therefore, how to improve the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, especially diabetic complications, is of great significance.Objective:This paper sets out to examine the HRQoL of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and identify the relationship between diabetes complications and HRQoL.This paper is also intended to explore specific factors that influence patients with type 2 diabetes and diabetic complications,so as to provide theoretical basis for improving health related quality of life patients with diabetes,especially with complications.This will further improve the physical and mental health of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods:In this study, a total of 1948 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were selected from Shandong province using stratified cluster sampling, and face to face interview was used to conduct a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire data were input by Epidata and analyzed by SPSS.First of all, the descriptive analysis is used to examine the complications of patients with type 2 diabetes and problems in all dimensions of HRQoL. Next, T-test,ANOVA and linear regression analysis were used for univariate analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine associated factors of HRQoL among patients with and without complications respectively. At the same time,multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the related factors of five domains of EQ-5D among patients with or without complications.Results:There is a significant difference between complications and HRQoL among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Among type 2 diabetes patients without complications,health related quality of life was significantly relevant to age, occupation, family income,health expenditure,exercise,mental health (K10),regular blood glucose (BG)measurement and diabetes duration. Among type 2 diabetes patients with complications, HRQoL was significantly associated to age,health expenditure,exercise, self-rated health, mental health (K10), and regular BG measurement.Conclusion:Complications are significantly relevant to HRQoL of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The older,the higher health expenditure,the less exercise,the worse self-rated health,the worse mental health (K10),the less frequent regular blood glucose,the lower HRQoL of type 2 diabetes patients with and without complications will be. Among type 2 diabetes patients without complications, unemployment, low family income and long diabetes duration will lead to low HRQoL.Therefore, measures should be taken to improve HRQoL of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, especially those with complications. First, actively carry out publicity and education, and improve patients’ health consciousness. Second, regular BG measurement should be applied to prevent complications. Third, medical insurance and health care system should be strengthened to reduce the economic burden of diabetes patients and improve equity in health. Fourth, to improve type 2 diabetes mellitus patients’ physical fitness and build their confidence in life by encouraging them to take more sports exercises. Fifth, to provide harmonious community environment for people with diabetes, improve social support and mental health to by optimizing infrastructure facilities,organization wide activities. Sixth,to help type 2 diabetes patients, especially those with complications develop healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet and improve their HRQoL.