Measurement of health-related quality of life in diabetes mellitus

Abstract

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the need for a multidisciplinary or holistic approach towards patient treatment. In the case of diabetes, apart from evaluating the patient’s clinical state and level of diabetic control, this approach can also be implemented by assessing the patient’s quality of life (QoL). QoL can be measured using objective tools, such as questionnaires for evaluating the quality of life. When it comes to QoL evaluation in diabetic patients, the following tools are used: general and specific scales, as well as ancillary tools, such as questionnaires concerning the patient’s emotional state, including depression and anxiety states. This study focused particularly on questionnaires developed specifically for diabetic patients, which are used internationally, including a description of their characteristics and psychometric properties.
(Diabet. Prakt. 2011; 12, 2: 56–64)