Self-reported quality of life and the effect of different clinical and demographic characteristics in people with type 1 diabetes.

The aims of the present study were to describe how people with type 1 diabetes experienced their quality of life and to examine the effect of the different background characteristics of sex, age, social status, education, disease duration. HbA1 levels, regimen and the frequency of complications on self-reported quality of life. A self-administered questionnaire consisting of 28 items measuring satisfaction within the physical, psychological, social and activity/behavioural life-domain and 11 well-being scales was completed by 247 patients with type 1 diabetes who consecutively attended a Norwegian diabetes clinic. Main findings from the study showed that over 80% of patients reported their capacity for self-care, general well-being, satisfaction with life and social contacts to be quite good or better. Forty five percent of patients perceived their life situation to be negatively effected due to diabetes. Multivariate analysis showed that living alone had a negative effect on satisfaction in the physical, social and psychological life-domain. Higher levels of HbA1 were associated with reported lower satisfaction within the physical and activity/behavioural life-domain. The effect of the different background characteristics on reported well-being showed no consistent pattern. These findings indicate that the majority of patients in this study experienced a satisfactory quality of life despite living with a chronic illness such as diabetes.