The impact of new screen-detected and previously known type 2 diabetes on health-related quality of life: a population-based study in Qingdao, China

To examine and compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with previously known diabetes, new screen-detected asymptomatic diabetes and people without diabetes.

HRQoL of 4,613 individuals who participated in a population-based cross-sectional diabetes survey in Qingdao, China, in 2009, was assessed using the 15D instrument. A Tobit regression model to estimate the effects of diabetes on HRQoL separate from effects of other health determinants was constructed.

Among the surveyed population, 220 (4.8 %) individuals had previously known diabetes and 531 (11.5 %) individuals had new screen-detected diabetes, defined by fasting plasma glucose ≥7.0 mmol/l and/or 2-h plasma glucose ≥11.1 mmol/l. The age-, gender-, and BMI-adjusted mean 15D score of people without diabetes, with new screen-detected diabetes, and previously known diabetes was 0.975, 0.975, and 0.964, respectively, for urban and 0.971, 0.972, and 0.960, respectively, for rural participants. HRQoL overall and on all the dimensions (p < 0.05) except for hearing, eating, and speech was worse in the people with previously known diabetes compared to those with new screen-detected diabetes and those without diabetes. Compared to people without diabetes, people with new screen-detected diabetes were worse off on the dimension of usual activities (p < 0.05). After adjusting for comorbid diseases and other confounders, the impact of diabetes on reduced HRQoL was diminished.

Health-related quality of life was impaired in people with previously known diabetes who had co-morbid conditions, but was largely unaltered in people with newly detected asymptomatic diabetes as compared to people without diabetes.