Quality of life of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate–Palestine: a part of the Palestinian diabetes complications and control study (PDCCS)

• Published in: Quality of life research Vol. 30; no. 5; pp. 1407 - 1416
• Main Authors: Tietjen, Anna Katharina, Ghandour, Rula, Mikki, Nahed, Jerdén, Lars, Eriksson, Jan W., Norberg, Margareta, Husseini, Abdullatif
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.05.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: ADDQoL; Arabs; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - epidemiology; Female; Health status; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Middle East; Palestinian diabetes complications and control study; Patients; Primary health care clinics; Public Health; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Quality of Life Research; Risk Factors; Sociology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Type 2 diabetes; Middle East; Type 2 diabetes; Palestinian diabetes complications and control study; Health status; ADDQoL; Primary health care clinics; Quality of life
• ISSN: 0962-9343; 1573-2649; 1573-2649
• DOI: 10.1007/s11136-020-02733-w

Purpose Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a considerable impact on physical health as well as on emotional and social wellbeing. This study aimed to investigate the quality of life and its associated factors among Palestinians with T2DM. Methods A cross-sectional study including 517 patients (68% female) was conducted in eleven primary health care clinics located in Ramallah and al-Bireh governorate of the West Bank. To assess socio-demographic data, risk factors and diabetes control, interviews, physical examinations, anthropometric measurements, and blood and urine tests were performed. The validated Arabic version of the Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life (ADDQoL) questionnaire was carried out on all patients to measure Quality of Life (QoL). A multivariable regression analysis was performed. Results The average weighted impact (AWI) score was −3.38 (95% CI: −3.55 to −3.21, range: −9.00 to 0.12). This indicates that diabetes was perceived as having a considerable negative impact on the quality of life. The life domains ‘freedom to eat’, ‘physical activities’, and ‘work-life’ were the most negatively impacted. Males and individuals living with diabetes for a prolonged time were associated with a more significant negative impact on quality of life. Conclusion The study showed that diabetes generally had a negative impact on QoL and identified the demand for diabetes management programs tailored to patient needs and different patient groups, as well as health policies that put patients in the center of diabetes care.