Health-related quality of life in subjects with and without Type 2 diabetes: pooled analysis of five population-based surveys in Germany

Aims: To estimate population values of health-related quality of life (HRQL) in subjects with and without Type 2 diabetes mellitus across several large population-based survey studies in Germany. Systematic differences in relation to age and sex were of particular interest.

Methods: Individual data from four population-based studies from different regions throughout Germany and the nationwide German National Health Interview and Examination Survey (GNHIES98) were included in a pooled analysis of primary data (N = 9579). HRQL was assessed using the generic index instrument SF-36 (36-item Short Form Health Survey) or its shorter version, the SF-12 (12 items). Regression analysis was carried out to examine the association between Type 2 diabetes and the two component scores derived from the SF-36/SF-12, the physical component summary score (PCS-12) and the mental component summary score (MCS-12), as well as interaction effects with age and sex.

Results: The PCS-12 differed significantly by -4.1 points in subjects with Type 2 diabetes in comparison with subjects without Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes was associated with significantly lower MCS-12 in women only. Higher age was associated with lower PCS-12, but with an increase in MCS-12, for subjects with and without Type 2 diabetes.

Conclusions: Pooled analysis of population-based primary data offers HRQL values for subjects with Type 2 diabetes in Germany, stratified by age and sex. Type 2 diabetes has negative consequences for HRQL, particularly for women. This underlines the burden of disease and the importance of diabetes prevention. Factors that disadvantage women with Type 2 diabetes need to be researched more thoroughly.