Understanding health-related quality of life trajectories among older adults with diabetes mellitus: Mixed methods research.
Sunhee Park, Taewha Lee
PMID 37533155WHAT IT FOUND
Most older adults with diabetes maintained good quality of life over five years.
Those with declining quality of life often viewed diabetes as a destroyer of their lives and struggled with self-care. Comorbidities like pain and financial barriers drove poor outcomes more than diabetes itself.
Key findings
01The majority of older adults with diabetes maintained stable high or medium health-related quality of life over five years, while a smaller group experienced a decline.
02Participants with persistently medium quality of life or declining quality of life described diabetes as a 'destroyer' of their lives, felt guilt, and avoided self-care, unlike those with high quality of life who viewed it as a 'companion'.
03Comorbidities such as pain and cancer, along with financial constraints limiting access to food and medication, were primary drivers of reduced quality of life rather than diabetes alone.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The quantitative sample excluded frail older adults and those in nursing homes, potentially overestimating quality of life. The qualitative phase used a different sample recruited from clinics, which may not fully represent the survey population. Only 10 participants were interviewed, limiting the generalizability of the qualitative themes. The study was cross-sectional in its qualitative component and observational in its quantitative component, preventing causal conclusions.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest and received no financial support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that diabetes alone drives poor quality of life in older adults. The study found that comorbidities like pain and financial barriers were more significant determinants of declining trajectories than the diabetes diagnosis itself.