Factors Associated With Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Diabetic Foot Ulcer: A Cross-Sectional Study From Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background and objective Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) have been shown to have a high impact on the patients’ perceived health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The aim of this study was to estimate the HRQOL and its related risk factors in patients with foot ulcers associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods This cross-sectional study was performed on 81 patients with DFU, from January 2019 to July 2019 at the Prince Sultan Military Medical City (PSMMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study population was purposively and conveniently chosen based on patients' availability during their regular and customary outpatient clinic visits. Using the Arabic version of the Short-Form 36-Item Survey (SF-36), these patients were interviewed and their HRQOL scores were was assessed. The SF-36 covered eight aspects of health such as physical functioning, body pain, limitations in the roles induced by physical health problems, limitations in the roles caused by personal or emotional problems, emotional well-being, social functioning, energy/fatigue, and general health perceptions. Results It was evident that age, gender, education, occupation, smoking, duration of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, body mass index (BMI), and the number of diabetes-associated complications, hypertension, and dyslipidemia significantly affected the patients' physical functions. The physical health of the patient was strongly influenced by gender, education, occupation, income, BMI, and the number of complications. The emotional health of the patient was affected by dyslipidemia, deformity, prior amputations, as well as BMI and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). The social standing of the patient was influenced by age, income, education, and occupation. The degree of pain experienced by the patient varied with age and the number of complications, as well as notable differences in their general health. The factors of age, education, occupation, income, and the number of diabetic complications induced several health changes in varying degrees. The patients with DFU revealed overall lower HRQOL relating to all the eight aspects of the SF-36. Conclusion The patients with DFU in Saudi Arabia generally revealed lower HRQOL. However, prospective and large-scale studies are required in the future to support these findings.

Impacts of psychological resilience on self-efficacy and quality of life in patients with diabetic foot ulcers: a prospective cross-sectional study

“…Another study also found that female gender, overweight, peripheral vascular disease, and stress in life may be related to lower QoL in DFU patients (10). A study from Saudi Arabia found that many factors may affect the QoL of DFU patients, including age, educational status, occupational status, income, and complications (11). In the present study, low psychological resilience, older age, lower perceived social support, and higher level of HbA1c were identified as risk factors of QoL.…”

“…Alrub et al reported that female gender and obesity were related to poorer QoL in Jordanian DFU patients (10). Al Ayed et al reported that, in addition to gender and obesity, education, occupation, income, and the number of complications were predictors of poor QoL in DFU patients (11). A recent meta-analysis indicated that some other risk factors such as the level of C-reactive protein (CRP), ulcer size, and level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) had significant impacts on the QoL of DFU patients (12).…”

The Relationship of Body Mass Index and Diabetic Foot Risk in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus at Royal Prima Hospital on Period 2018 to 2020

“…A research by Tini in 2018 found that the majority in this study gender was women (80%). Gender can also affect the occurrence of obesity, in this study the majority of respondents were 67 people (65.7%) women 8. It can be seen that eighteen percent of the samples were in the age group of 40-45 years and 56-60 years old.…”

Predictors of Pharmacotherapy and Quality of Life Among Patients With Diabetic Foot Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital in India

“…A previous study by Mousab Al Ayed et al alluded this to longer periods of hospitalization and overall morbidity. 19…”