Ashraf
Eljedi1, Rafael T Mikolajczyk2, Alexander Kraemer2
and Ulrich Laaser3
Address:
1Faculty of
Nursing, The Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza strip, Palestinian Territories, 2Department
of Public Health Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Bielefeld,
Bielefeld, Germany and
3Department of
Epidemiology and International Public Health, School of Public Health,
University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
Abstract
Background: Prevalence of
diabetes mellitus is increasing in developed and developing countries. Diabetes
is known to strongly affect the health-related quality of life (HRQOL). HRQOL
is also influenced by living conditions. We analysed the effects of having
diabetes on HRQOL under the living conditions in refugee camps in the Gaza
strip.
Methods: We studied a
sample of 197 diabetic patients who were recruited from three refugee camps in
the Gaza strip and 197 age- and sex-matched controls living in the same camps.
To assess HRQOL, we used the World Health Organization Quality of Life
questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) including four domains (physical health,
psychological, social relations and environment). Domain scores were compared
for cases (diabetic patients) and controls (persons without diabetes) and the
impact of socio-economic factors was evaluated in both groups.
Results: All domains were
strongly reduced in diabetic patients as compared to controls, with stronger
effects in physical health (36.7 vs. 75.9 points of the 0–100 score) and
psychological domains (34.8 vs. 70.0) and weaker effects in social
relationships (52.4 vs. 71.4) and environment domains (23.4 vs. 36.2). The
impact of diabetes on HRQOL was especially severe among females and older
subjects (above 50 years). Low socioeconomic status had a strong negative
impact on HRQOL in the younger age group (<50 years).
Conclusion: HRQOL is
strongly reduced in diabetic patients living in refugee camps in the Gaza strip.
Women and older patients are especially affected.
Keywords :
Sumber
:
Biomed Central
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