Health Related Quality of Life of Diabetic Patients

Background Diabetes mellitus is a common and serious global health problem. In Nepal, it is a major expanding non communicable disease that has a number of chronic effects, accompanied by marked reduction in the health related quality of life (HRQOL). Assessment of health related quality of life mainly focuses on the effect of illness and impact of treatment on health. Objective The objective of this study was to identify the health related quality of life of diabetic patients. Method A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among 116 diabetic patients attending Diabetes, Thyroid and Endocrinology Care Center, Pokhara. Non probability purposive sampling technique was used. Data was collected using World Health Organization Quality Of Life - BREF tool and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, median, interquartile range, Mann Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test and Spearman's correlation coefficient test. Result The median score of HRQOL was 244 (225-275). Statistically significant difference was observed in age (p< 0.001), sex (p=0.043), living status (p=0.012), education (p=0.001), duration of illness (p=0.038) and co-morbidity (p< 0.001) with overall health related quality of life. Physical domain had strongest correlation (p< 0.000) with overall quality of life. Conclusion Diabetic patients have higher health related quality of life in the physical and social domain. Young adults, male, literate, living with spouse, duration of diabetes for less than 10 years and those without comorbidity have higher health related quality of life. Integration of routine counselling programme will be helpful in promoting health related quality of life of diabetic patients.