Diabetes-Specific Quality of Life (QoL) and Its Determinants Among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Al Buraimi Governorate, Oman: A Cross-Sectional Study
TL;DR
Gender, education status, duration of diabetes, HbA1c, duration of diabetes, treatment modality, treatment modality and diabetes-related complications were significantly associated with overall DQoL, and these findings support incorporating diabetes-specific QoL assessment into patient-centered diabetes care.
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) can substantially affect patients’ quality of life (QoL), yet evidence from Al-Buraimi Governorate, Oman, is limited. This study assessed diabetes-specific QoL and its associated sociodemographic and clinical factors among adults with T2DM attending a primary healthcare diabetes clinic. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 364 adults with T2DM between October and December 2024. Face-to-face interviews were carried out to collect data using a validated Arabic Diabetes Quality of Life (DQoL) questionnaire and a structured clinical and sociodemographic form. Differences in overall DQoL scores were assessed using independent-samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA, followed by Games–Howell post hoc comparisons where appropriate. Multivariable linear regression was used to identify independent factors associated with overall DQoL. Higher DQoL scores indicated poorer QoL. In multivariate regression analysis, gender, education status (university versus high school graduates), HbA1c, duration of diabetes (5–10 years versus <5 years), treatment modality (diet alone versus oral medications) and diabetes-related complications were significantly associated with overall DQoL. These findings support incorporating diabetes-specific QoL assessment into patient-centered diabetes care, particularly for patients with poor glycemic control and diabetes-related complications.