Influence of Diabetes complications and limitations on health-related quality of life: a study in a southeastern Brazilian city

The aim of this study was to measure how diabetes, its complications, and limitations are associated to the domains of health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted with 2178 individuals from the 2014/2015 City of Campinas Health Survey. The SF-36 was used to measure HRQoL. Mean scores were calculated. Crude and adjusted beta coefficients were estimated using multiple linear regression.

Diabetes was associated with a significant reduction in the scores of five SF-36 domains. However, no significant reduction of scores was found among diabetics without complications and with no reports of limitations. The reduction in HRQoL was more accentuated with the increase in the number of complications. Three domains were affected in diabetics with one complication and all were affected in those with two or more complications, especially the role physical, role emotional, and physical functioning. Five domains were affected among diabetics who reported some degree of limitation and all were affected in those who reported high degree of limitation. Patients who reported limitation even in the absence of complications had reductions of the scores especially in the role emotional and social functioning.

The results reveal that the association between diabetes and HRQoL only prevail in the occurrence of complications and limitations imposed by the disease, indicating the necessity to avoid or delay the emergence of chronic complications with adequate control methods and paying attention to the perception of limitation reported by the patient.