Prospective evaluation of quality of life among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus residing in urban slums of Bengaluru

Abstract

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most prevalent non-communicable diseases globally and poses a significant public health challenge, particularly in developing countries like India. The chronic nature of the disease, along with its complications and long-term treatment requirements, can substantially affect patients’ quality of life (QoL). Methods: A community-based prospective observational study was conducted among 390 adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus residing in selected urban slums of Bengaluru from February 2025 to January 2026. Participants were selected using simple random sampling. Quality of life was assessed using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics and inferential tests such as chi-square test were applied, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of participants was 52.3±10.8 years. The physical health domain had the lowest mean QoL score (54.3±11.6), while the social relationships domain showed the highest score (60.2±12.4). Overall, 56.9% of participants had poor quality of life. Significant associations with poor QoL were observed for age >50 years (OR=1.85), female gender (OR=1.84), diabetes duration >5 years (OR=2.27), presence of complications (OR=2.79), and lower socioeconomic status (OR=4.16) (p<0.05). Conclusions: More than half of the diabetic patients living in urban slums had poor quality of life. Older age, female gender, longer disease duration, diabetic complications, and low socioeconomic status were key determinants of reduced QoL.