Comparison of quality of life and functionality in type 2 diabetics with and without insulin

Type 2 diabetes mellitus compromises physical, psychological, economic, and social life.

To identify and compare the quality of life, depression, functional performance, and physical activity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who use insulin or not.

A observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, comparative study involving 100 patients (50 use insulin and 50 do not) from a Teaching Hospital. Questionnaires used: Identification and Socioeconomic Profile; SF-36; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; Visual Analogue Scale for Pain; Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire.

Sample composed predominantly by middle-aged, female, married, retired, and with incomplete elementary school individuals. There is impairment in all domains of quality of life, being more intense in functional capacity, physical limitations, pain, social aspects, limitation by emotional aspects, and mental health (P<0.05). There is a significant prevalence of anxiety or depressive symptoms in the groups, especially in those using insulin. However, the occurrence of the corresponding psychiatric disorders is unlikely (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in neuropathic pain between the groups (P=0.2296). Functional impairment is similar in both groups regarding self-care activities (P=0.4494) and productivity (P=0.5759), with a greater deterioration of leisure time in patients on insulin (P=0.0091). Most of them practice physical activity, predominantly walking, with no significant difference when comparing the groups (P>0.05), as well as in the other modalities.

Insulinized patients present greater impairment of functional capacity and socialization, as well as greater neuropathic pain, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.