Health-Related Quality of Life in Type 2 Diabetes

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in type 2 diabetes encompasses the physical, psychological and social dimensions of well-being as experienced by individuals living with the condition. Beyond glycaemic control, HRQoL is shaped by the burden of self-management tasks, the presence of complications and the emotional response to a chronic diagnosis. Key determinants include health literacy, coping strategies, self-care behaviours, social support networks and comorbid mood disorders. Measurement employs both generic instruments (such as the SF-12 and EQ-5D) and diabetes-specific tools to capture facets from physical mobility and pain to anxiety and life satisfaction. Globally, research highlights marked variation in HRQoL across populations, driven by differences in healthcare access, educational interventions and cultural attitudes towards illness. Improving HRQoL in type 2 diabetes demands integrated approaches that combine medical management with patient education, psychosocial support and personalised care pathways.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A large cross-sectional study conducted among adults with type 2 diabetes in Iran examined how diabetes health literacy, psychological status, self-care behaviours and overall life satisfaction predict HRQoL. Using standardised questionnaires covering depression, anxiety and stress alongside assessments of literacy, self-care and life satisfaction, researchers found significant positive and negative correlations between these variables and quality of life. In multivariable models, diabetes health literacy, life satisfaction, self-care behaviours, levels of depression, stress and anxiety, age at onset and disease duration together explained around 31 per cent of the variance in HRQoL. The findings underscore the pivotal role of health literacy and psychological well-being in shaping patients’ daily experiences and point towards the need for tailored educational interventions that bolster comprehension and coping skills.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Type 2 Diabetes publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in health-related quality of life in type 2 diabetes across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL): A multidimensional measure of physical, psychological and social well-being as perceived by individuals with a health condition.

Diabetes health literacy: The capacity to obtain, understand and use information to manage diabetes effectively.

Self-care behaviours: Day-to-day activities such as diet, exercise, glucose monitoring and medication adherence undertaken by individuals to control diabetes.

Diabetes distress: Emotional strain resulting from managing the day-to-day demands of diabetes and its potential complications.

Sense of coherence: A global orientation reflecting an individual’s capacity to perceive life as comprehensible, manageable and meaningful.

Physical component summary (PCS): A summary measure of physical functioning and health status derived from generic health-related quality of life questionnaires.

Mental component summary (MCS): A summary measure of psychological and emotional well-being derived from generic health-related quality of life questionnaires.

References

1. Role of diabetes health literacy, psychological status, self-care behaviors, and life satisfaction in predicting quality of life in type 2 diabetes. Scientific Reports (2024).
2. The association between quality of life and diabetes: the Bushehr Elderly Health Program. BMC Geriatrics (2024).
3. Relationship between diabetes health literacy, distress, burnout, social support, complications, self-care behaviors, and quality of life among patients with type 2 diabetes: a path analysis study. Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome (2024).
4. Factors associated with quality of life among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: the role of family caregivers. BMC Public Health (2024).