Health-related quality of life and metabolic control in older people with diabetes mellitus
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: to analyze health-related quality of life and its correlation with metabolic control in older people with diabetes mellitus treated in Primary Health Care. METHOD: observational, cross-sectional, and correlational study involving 264 older individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus, treated in primary health care. Health-related quality of life was assessed using the Short Form Health Survey version 2 questionnaire, and metabolic control was assessed through laboratory tests (fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile). Descriptive statistics and Spearman's correlation (α=0.05) were applied. RESULTS: participants had an average age of 70.23 years, 70.5% were women, and 86% had <9 years of education. The most compromised domain of health-related quality of life was pain, and the best performance was in emotional aspects. An inverse correlation was observed between general health status and HbA1c and between mental health and total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL. CONCLUSION: higher health-related quality of life scores, especially in the domains of general health and mental health, were associated with better metabolic control parameters, indicating the relevance of integrated approaches in the care of older people with diabetes mellitus in Primary Health Care.
Institutions: Universidade de São Paulo, Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Language: English
Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7221067795