The Impact of Education, COVID-19 and Risk Factors on the Quality of Life in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Gvozdanović, Zvjezdana; Farčić, Nikolina; Šimić, Hrvoje; Buljanović, Vikica; Gvozdanović, Lea; Katalinić, Sven; Pačarić, Stana; Gvozdanović, Domagoj; Dujmić, Željka; Miškić, Blaženka; Barać, Ivana; Prlić, Nada

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of education, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and risk factors on the quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A prospective study was conducted in three phases: before education, after education, and in the period of pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The subjects were diabetics on oral therapy. To determine the quality of life index, a standardized Ferrans and Powers survey questionnaire was used. Results: A total of 205 participants took part in the study, of which 111 (54.1%) were men and 94 (46%) women. Participants were enrolled in the study between January 2019 and September 2020. Glycated hemoglobin values were significantly higher before education compared to post-education and at the time of COVID-19 (Friedman test, p = 0.002), and body mass index was significantly lower after education compared to values before education (Friedman test, p = 0.008). The quality of life was significantly lower in all domains in the COVID-19 period (Friedman test, p < 0.001). Conclusions: A significant predictor of worse assessment of overall quality of life was male gender and rural place of residence. Disease duration of up to 5 years was a significant predictor of worse assessment in the psychological/spiritual domain, while being married was a predictor of better assessment of the quality of life in the family domain. The education of diabetics brought an increase in the health and quality of life while the coronavirus disease pandemic had negative consequences on the same parameters. We consider it necessary to systematically educate diabetics about the comorbidity of COVID-19.