HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG PEOPLE DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES MELLITUS

ABSTRACT

Nigeria has the highest number of diabetics in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a chronic illness, diabetes mellitus (DM) places serious constraints on the people living with diabetes mellitus. The short-term and long-term complications affecting the physical, psychological and social functioning of diabetics can impinge on their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This aim of this study was to assess the quality of life among diabetic mellitus patients in the university of Benin Teaching Hospital Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, using 200 diabetic patients from the ages of 30 for the study. A descriptive cross sectional research design was utilized. Four objectives and three null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study adapted the WHOQOL-BREF a 26-item standardized questionnaire with 15 additional questions soliciting demographic and clinical data was used for data collection. Data generated were processed and analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 20. Ethical approval was collected from the Health Research Ethics Committee UBTH. Findings revealed that both male and female respondents were of the same percentage (50%). There is no significant relationship between the socio demographic factors ( age p = 0.041), level of income (p = 0.000) , educational qualification (p = 0.014) , co-morbidities p = 0.000), and patients quality of life. There is a significant difference in the quality of life between male and female respondents with diabetes mellitus (p =0.011 ). There is no significant difference between the predicators of quality of life of patients with diabetes mellitus. Overall quality of life was fair among respondents, social relationships (p= 0.104), access to health services (p= 0.001), level of income (p= 0.022).