Assessment of impact of comorbidities on quality of life scores among diabetics and non-diabetics: A hospital based case control study in Garhwal division of Uttarakhand, India

Background: Health related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important patient reported outcome in any chronic disease, including diabetes and is the ultimate goal of health interventions. The objective of the study was to compare the Quality of Life (QoL) scores between patients with diabetes and those without diabetes. It also intended to compare QoL scores between the two with respect to comorbidities of various system, assess the association of increasing number of comorbidities on QoL scores in both the groups and find the determinants of QoL scores among diabetics using regression analysis.

Methods: The present study was a hospital-based comparative study conducted in Garhwal division of Uttarakhand, India. The QoL scores were obtained using WHOQOLBREF questionnaire. Comparisons were made between 195 diabetics and an equal number of age and sex matched nondiabetics.

Results: The total mean QoL score was significantly lower among diabetics in comparison to nondiabetics. Patients with diabetics with comorbidity of cardiovascular system reported highest mean QoL scores while those with respiratory comorbidities reported lowest mean scores. The mean QoL scores decreased with increasing number of co-morbities in both diabetics and nondiabetics, however the inter group differences were not found to be significant. Presence of three or more comorbidities (β= -9.5), income (β= 5.3), type of family (β= -5.9) and use of alcohol (β= 2.4) were significant determinants of QoL among patients of diabetes.

Conclusion: The study illustrates the expanding horizons of the effect of diabetes on all the domains of life of an individual and therefore proposes and reinforces the role of interventions not just limited to control of blood sugar levels but also to enhance the quality of life of an individual with diabete