The relationship of health-related quality of life to fear of hypoglycemia among Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes treated with oral antihyperglycemic agents

  • Maryam Momeni Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
  • Azam Ghorbani Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
  • Fateme Hasandoost Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Shahab Rezaeian Infectious Diseases Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
Keywords: health-related quality of life, hypoglycemia, type 2 diabetes, oral antihyperglycemic agents

Abstract

Fear of hypoglycemia is an additional psychological burden imposed on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and may reduce their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between HRQoL and fear of hypoglycemia in patients with T2DM who have been taking oral antihyperglycemic agents in Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 357 patients with T2DM who were using oral anti-diabetic drugs were selected by convenient sampling. Data was collected using a three-part questionnaire [i.e., socio-demographic, the EuroQoL (EQ-5D-3L) and the worry subscale of the hypoglycemia fear survey II (HSF-II)]. Hypoglycemic severity was categorized by the recommendations of the American Diabetes Association Workgroup on Hypoglycemia. Logistic and OLS regression models were used to investigate fear of hypoglycemia and other factors associated with EQ-5D score. The mean age of patients was 54.1±11.5 years and 56.6% were male. The mean EQ-5D and VAS scores were 0.579±0.313 and 48.76±20.09, respectively. In OLS regression models, EQ-5D score was greater in males (B=0.076, P<0.01) and patients with education level >12 years (B=0.118, P<0.015). At the same time, it was lower in patients with fear of hypoglycemia (B=-0.004, P<0.001), selected cardiovascular conditions (B=-0.151, P<0.001) and lower extremity lesions (B=-0.075, P<0.042). Fear of hypoglycemia levels should be evaluated and patients with higher levels of fear of hypoglycemia should be monitored closely. Therefore, clinicians and health systems should incorporate screening for fear of hypoglycemia into the routine health assessment of all patients with T2DM.

Published
2023-03-31
How to Cite
Momeni, Maryam, Azam Ghorbani, Fateme Hasandoost, and Shahab Rezaeian. 2023. “The Relationship of Health-Related Quality of Life to Fear of Hypoglycemia Among Iranian Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Treated With Oral Antihyperglycemic Agents”. Romanian Journal of Diabetes Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases 30 (1), 73-83. https://rjdnmd.org/index.php/RJDNMD/article/view/1160.