Temporal predictors of health-related quality of life in elderly people with diabetes: results of a German cohort study

PLoS One. 2012;7(1):e31088. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031088. Epub 2012 Jan 24.

Abstract

Background: The aim of the study was to determine predictors that influence health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a large cohort of elderly diabetes patients from primary care over a follow-up period of five years.

Methods and results: At the baseline measurement of the ESTHER cohort study (2000-2002), 1375 out of 9953 participants suffered from diabetes (13.8%). 1057 of these diabetes patients responded to the second-follow up (2005-2007). HRQOL at baseline and follow-up was measured using the SF-12; mental component scores (MCS) and physical component scores (PCS) were calculated; multiple linear regression models were used to determine predictors of HRQOL at follow-up. As possible predictors for HRQOL, the following baseline variables were examined: treatment with insulin, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), number of diabetes related complications, number of comorbid diseases, Body-Mass-Index (BMI), depression and HRQOL. Regression analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic variables and smoking status. 1034 patients (97.8%) responded to the SF-12 both at baseline and after five years and were therefore included in the study. Regression analyses indicated that significant predictors of decreased MCS were a lower HRQOL, a higher number of diabetes related complications and a reported history of depression at baseline. Complications, BMI, smoking and HRQOL at baseline significantly predicted PCS at the five year follow-up.

Conclusions: Our findings expand evidence from previous cross-sectional data indicating that in elderly diabetes patients, depression, diabetes related complications, smoking and BMI are temporally predictive for HRQOL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living
  • Aged*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Diabetes Complications / epidemiology
  • Diabetes Mellitus / diagnosis
  • Diabetes Mellitus / epidemiology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus / physiopathology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus / psychology
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Germany / epidemiology
  • Health Status Indicators*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Quality of Life*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Time Factors