-
Health-related Quality Of Life Of Diabetes Mellitus Patients And Non-diabetics
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 3]
Page 3 of 3
-
-
-
Hypotheses
1.
There is no significant difference between the HRQOL scores of patients
with diabetes mellitus and that of the non-diabetic group in the four
domains of the
WHOQOL-BREF.
2. There is no significant
difference between the HRQOL scores of diabetic patients with
co-morbidities and those without co-morbidities in all the four domains
of the
WHOQOL-BREF.
Scope of the Study
This study was carried
out at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital using diabetic
patients attending the diabetic clinic that hold on Wednesdays. Only
persons 30 years and above were recruited. The non-diabetic group was
recruited from the Catholic community of Mater Misericordiae Catholic
Church Rumumasi, Port Harcourt and Anglican community of the Anglican
Church of Messiah, Port Harcourt. Anglican and Catholic churches are the
two biggest churches in this area.
Significance of the Study:
17
Findings
from the present study will reveal generally how diabetic patients cope
with life, disease and treatment. The findings will specifically reveal
quality of life of diabetic patients with regards to: physical domain,
psychological domain, social domain and environmental domain.
Findings
from the study will provide clinicians with important information
needed to support clinical decision-making, taking both biomedical and
psychosocial aspects into consideration in the management of diabetics.
To the nurse in particular, a tailored education and management based on
identified needs from the study will go a long way in helping the
patient to lead a normal life and cope with the problems associated with
the ailment.
Improved management based on the findings of this study
will improve productivity and reduce the economic burden on the
individual as well as the society in general. The quality of life of the
individual will be improved. To policy makers, the findings of this
study will stimulate them to address issues concerning diabetics e.g.
insurance, employment, etc. This study will not only tell us about the
patient’s subjective experience of living with diabetes, it will also
elicit new and or better ways to improve on diabetes care.
Operational Definition of Terms
Health
Related Quality of Life (HRQOL). This is the impact of the disease
(diabetes mellitus) on the individual’s subjective description of
his/her various dimensions of human functioning and well-being. In this
study, these functions will be measured using the four domain World
Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) instrument. The
domains are physical, psychological, social and environmental.
Diabetes
Mellitus- a group of diseases characterized by increased level of
glucose in the blood, diagnosed medically if the fasting blood glucose
is126mg/dl (7.0mmol/L) or higher,
Random plasma, 2 hours post prandial glucose levels exceeding 200mg/dl (11.1mmol/L) and
Glucose Tolerant Test result of 180mg/dl (11.1mmol/L) 2hours after glucose load.
Diabetic Patients- are patients 30years and above, diagnosed and attending diabetes mellitus
clinic at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt.
Non-Diabetics
- They are persons 30years and above, clinically healthy and have never
been told or known to have diabetes mellitus or any other chronic
diseases such as Asthma, Hypertension, Congestive Cardiac Failure,
Arthritis, Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Duodenal or Stomach ulcer, HIV/AIDS
and cancers.
In this environment, there is no existing norm data using the WHOQOL-BREF. So, those
who met the inclusion criteria for the study were recruited from the area of the study.
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 3]
Page 3 of 3
-
-
ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]Nigeria has the highest number of diabetics in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a chronic illness, diabetes mellitus (DM) places serious constraints on the people living with diabetes mellitus. The short-term and long-term complications affecting the physical, psychological and social functioning of diabetics can impinge on their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study assessed and compared the HRQOL of diabetic patients and non-diabetics in Por Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Four objectives ... Continue reading---
