Diabetes-dependent quality of life (ADDQOL) and affecting factors in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 in Greece

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2D) is a chronic metabolic disease with a great impact on health status and quality of life (QoL) in terms of physical, social, and psychological well-being. The aim of the present study was to measure diabetes-dependent QoL and affecting factors in patients with T2D. METHODS: Study population was consisted by 258 subjects with T2D attending diabetic outpatient clinics of General Hospitals of Piraeus “Tzaneio” and Nikaia “Ag.Panteleimon” during September–December 2014. The Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life questionnaire was carried out in all study participants. RESULTS: Diabetes mellitus type 2 had a negative impact to QoL in 37.3 % of the study participants while 32.9 % believed that their life would have been better without the presence of T2D. Diabetes had negative impact on working life (−1.3 ± 0.6), health status (−1.3 ± 0.2), family (−1.3 ± 0.6) and sexual life (−1.3 ± 0.3), future perspectives (−1.3 ± 0.4) and dietary habits (−1.7 ± 0.2). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that QoL was related with age [odds ratio (OR) 0.94, 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) 0.91–1.98, P = 0.008] and marital status (OR 0.43, 95 %CIs 0.21–0.90, P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study showed that T2D per se has a negative impact to patient’s QoL most of all affecting working life, health status, family and sexual life, future perspectives and dietary habits. Age and marital status were the only determinants of QoL.