Last update:
   15-Jan-2020
 

Arch Hellen Med, 37(1), January-February 2020, 79-86

ORIGINAL PAPER

Assessment of factors affecting the quality of life of patients with diabetes mellitus

Ε. Papaioannou,1 V. Alikari,2 F. Tzavella,3 S. Zyga,3 M. Tsironi,3 P. Theofilou1,4
1Hellenic Open University, School of Social Sciences, Patra,
2Department of Nursing, University of West Attica, Athens,
3Department of Nursing, University of the Peloponnese, Sparta,
4General Directorate of Health Services, Ministry of Health, Athens, Greece

OBJECTIVE To investigate quality of life among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) types 1 and 2 and the factors which affect it.

METHOD The study was conducted with 220 patients who had a diagnosis of either type 1 or type 2 DM. For data collection, the tool Missoula-Vitas Quality of Life Index-15 (MVQOLI-15) was used, and socio-demographic and clinical data were recorded.

RESULTS Analysis of the association between the socio-demographic characteristics and quality of life showed that age, gender, occupational activity, economic and family status were determinants of quality of life in this population. Regarding the clinical features of the disease, quality of life was affected by poor glycemic control, as defined by a level of hemoglobin A1c >7.5%, nutritional characteristics, non-adherence to the prescribed recommendations, inadequate education about the management of DM and its possible complications, the type of treatment and the presence of chronic complications of the disease.

CONCLUSIONS The quality of life of patients with DM is affected by a number of sociodemographic and clinical factors. Appropriate prevention, treatment and health promotion programs are needed to reduce the prevalence of the disease and to modify the factors that appear to be associated with poor glycemic control and an unsatisfactory quality of life in patients with DM.

Key words: Clinical characteristics, Demographic characteristics, Diabetes mellitus, Quality of life.

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