Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Health related quality of life (HRQOL) is increasingly recognized as a key outcome of evaluation research. The SF-36 is one of the most frequently used instruments for measuring HRQOL.
Objective: To assess HRQOL among persons with diabetes mellitus and to obtain pooled estimates using the SF-36 for various subpopulations.
Methods: A comprehensive search of electronic databases was performed for studies measuring HRQOL among persons with diabetes using the SF-36 questionnaire. There were no language or study design restrictions. Each included study reported at least one of the eight component scores or one of the two summary scores (physical and mental health) for the SF-36. For intervention studies, only the HRQOL measure at baseline was used. Pooled estimates were obtained using a random effects model with the generic inverse variance method in RevMan.
Results: Forty-eight studies with a total of 16,000 participants were included in our analysis. The eight component scores ranged from 50.6 to 72.8 among persons with diabetes, where 0 represents the lowest level of health and 100 represents the maximum level of health. The mental health summary score was 51.6 and the physical health summary score was 49.8. Among persons with type 1diabetes, both summary scores and the general health status score (unadjusted) were similar to those with type 2 diabetes, but measures of physical function and role limitation due to mental problems were higher among those with type 1 disease. Persons over 65 years of age had lower component scores than persons younger than 65. Persons with diabetes diagnosed less than a year previously (three studies) had lower summary scores than persons with disease for more than a year. Scores for social function, mental health, and role limitation secondary to mental problems were lower than those previously reported among persons with diabetes [1], and all component scores were much lower than those of the US general population [1].
Conclusions: Diabetes significantly affects HRQOL for both mental and physical components and some subpopulations are affected more than others. We improved previous estimates of HRQOL by pooling data from a large number studies.
References: 1. Ware JE Jr. SF-36 Health Survey Manual and interpretation Guide. Boston, Massachusetts: The Health Institute, New England Medical Centre, 1993.
Objective: To assess HRQOL among persons with diabetes mellitus and to obtain pooled estimates using the SF-36 for various subpopulations.
Methods: A comprehensive search of electronic databases was performed for studies measuring HRQOL among persons with diabetes using the SF-36 questionnaire. There were no language or study design restrictions. Each included study reported at least one of the eight component scores or one of the two summary scores (physical and mental health) for the SF-36. For intervention studies, only the HRQOL measure at baseline was used. Pooled estimates were obtained using a random effects model with the generic inverse variance method in RevMan.
Results: Forty-eight studies with a total of 16,000 participants were included in our analysis. The eight component scores ranged from 50.6 to 72.8 among persons with diabetes, where 0 represents the lowest level of health and 100 represents the maximum level of health. The mental health summary score was 51.6 and the physical health summary score was 49.8. Among persons with type 1diabetes, both summary scores and the general health status score (unadjusted) were similar to those with type 2 diabetes, but measures of physical function and role limitation due to mental problems were higher among those with type 1 disease. Persons over 65 years of age had lower component scores than persons younger than 65. Persons with diabetes diagnosed less than a year previously (three studies) had lower summary scores than persons with disease for more than a year. Scores for social function, mental health, and role limitation secondary to mental problems were lower than those previously reported among persons with diabetes [1], and all component scores were much lower than those of the US general population [1].
Conclusions: Diabetes significantly affects HRQOL for both mental and physical components and some subpopulations are affected more than others. We improved previous estimates of HRQOL by pooling data from a large number studies.
References: 1. Ware JE Jr. SF-36 Health Survey Manual and interpretation Guide. Boston, Massachusetts: The Health Institute, New England Medical Centre, 1993.