Assessment of health-related quality of life in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes - a preliminary study

Abstract

Introduction. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that affects all aspects of life of pediatric patients, especially the psychological aspect, and hence the health-related quality of life. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of sociodemographic and clinical factors of pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus on self-assessment of health-related quality of life. Material and Methods. The research was conducted as a cross-sectional study. The sample included 37 pediatric patients aged 8 to 18 years, who were diagnosed with the type 1 diabetes mellitus six months or longer before enrollment into the study. The research instruments used in the study were the Serbian version of child-friendly EuroQol-5D-Y youth questionnaire and medical history data (gender, age, time since diagnosis - in years, glycosylated hemoglobin values, type of insulin therapy). Results. The total score of general health on the visual analogue scale was 80.54 on average (standard deviation - 20.87). A negative correlation was found between the total score on the visual analogue scale and the duration of diabetes (ρ = -0.329, p < 0.05). The statistical significance of the difference in the distribution of respondents’ responses in relation to the type of insulin therapy was confirmed in the domain “Feeling of concern” (χ2 (2) = 7.19, p < 0.05). Conclusion. The key determinants that influenced the self-assessment of the health-related quality of life in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus are duration of the disease and the use of insulin analogues.

Uvod. Dijabetes melitus je hronično oboljenje koje utiče na sve aspekte života pedijatrijskog pacijenta-posebno na psihološki i samim tim na kvalitet života uslovljen zdravljem. Cilj rada je bio da se proceni uticaj sociodemografskih i kliničkih karakteristika pedijatrijskih pacije- nata obolelih od dijabetesa melitus tip 1 na samoprocenu kvaliteta života uslovljenog zdravljem. Materijal i metode. Istraživanje je sprovedeno kao studija preseka. Uzorak je obuhvatio 37 pedijatrijskih pacijenata uzrasta od osam do 18 godina, kojima je dijabetes tip 1 dijagnostikovan pre šest meseci ili duže pre uključivanja u studiju. Korišćeni instrumenti istraživanja su srpska verzija upitnika za mlade EuroQol-5D-Y i dokumentacioni list za prikupljanje podataka o pacijentu (pol, uzrast, vreme proteklo od postavljanja dijagnoze – u godinama, vrednost glikoziliranog hemoglobina i vrsta insulinske terapije). Rezultati. Ukupna ocena opšteg zdravstvenog stanja na vizuelno analognoj skali prosečno je iznosila 80,54 (standardna devijacija = 20,87). Zapažena je negativna korelacija između ukupnog skora na vizuelno analognoj skali i dužine trajanja dijabetesa (ρ = -0.329, p < 0,05). Statistička značajnost razlike distribucije odgovora ispitanika u odnosu na vrstu insulinske terapije potvrđena je u domenu Osećaj zabrinutosti (χ2 (2) = 7,19, p < 0,05). Zaključak. Ključne de- terminante koje su uticale na samoprocenu kvaliteta života uslovljenog zdravljem pedijatrijskih pacijenata obolelih od dijabetesa melitus tip 1 su: dužina trajanja bolesti i upotreba insulinskih analoga.