Health related quality of life in patients with diabetes using SF-12 questionnaire

To assess health related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with diabetes at presentation and to compare the changes after receiving diabetes education. This study was conducted at Baqai Institute of Diabetology and Endocrinology (BIDE), a tertiary care diabetes center in Karachi - Pakistan from October 2010 to October 2011. Newly registered and follow-up patients with diabetes from the Out patients department (OPD) were interviewed on one to one basis by diabetes educator, irrespective of age, sex and duration of diabetes. HRQOL was assessed using SF-12 questionnaire having eight domains i.e. physical functioning (PF), bodily pain (BP) general health (GH), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF), role emotional (RE) and mental health (MH). A total of 501 patients (259 males, 242 females) participated in the study. Mean age and duration of diabetes was 51.60 ± 11.69 years and 8.88 ± 6.91 years respectively. There were 219 (43.70%) newly registered and 282 (56.30%) regular followup patients. Mean scores of all the eight domains of QOL were found to be significantly different between males and females. Diabetes education was associated with increase in scores of general health and vitality in new and follow up patients with diabetes. Quality of life was better in regular follow up patients receiving diabetes education compared to newly registered patients with diabetes. Diabetes is associated with decreasing levels of both physical and emotional wellbeing. Diabetes education appears to improve quality of life, therefore its provision should be ensured in all diabetes clinics.