Health-related quality of life in the first year following diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes: newly diagnosed patients in general practice compared with screening-detected patients. The Hoorn Screening Study

AIMS: To determine health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the first year following diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes among newly diagnosed patients in general practice compared with patients detected by targeted population screening.

METHODS: The study population consisted of 49 newly diagnosed patients in general practice and 116 screening-detected patients. HRQoL was operationalized as symptom distress, perceived health status and emotional well-being, that were assessed prospectively approximately 2 weeks, 6 months and 12 months after the diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, with the Type 2 Diabetes Symptom Checklist (DSC-type 2), the Short Form 36 (SF-36) and the Well-Being Questionnaire (W-BQ12), respectively.

RESULTS: The DSC-type 2 total score (range 0-4) improved significantly within newly diagnosed patients in general practice (median at approximately 2 weeks, 6 months and 12 months; 0.56, 0.21, 0.26; P = 0.000) and not within screening-detected patients (0.24, 0.24, 0.29; P = 0.093). Descriptives showed that newly diagnosed patients in general practice compared with screening-detected patients had consistently worse mean scores on all SF-36 mental health subscales Social Functioning, Role Emotional, Mental Health, Vitality, and all W-BQ12 scales at each time point. The differences were statistically significant for Role Emotional, Mental Health, Vitality (SF-36), and General well-being (W-BQ12). The SF-36 General Health (F = 3.7, P = 0.028) and Vitality (F = 4.5, P = 0.012) scores of newly diagnosed patients in general practice improved significantly over time, compared with screening-detected patients.

CONCLUSIONS: Newly diagnosed patients in general practice compared with screening-detected patients reported more diabetes-related symptom distress shortly after the diagnosis, and a consistently worse mental health status at each time point. Improved Vitality scores in newly diagnosed patients in general practice in the first year following diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes suggest a positive effect of diabetes treatment on HRQoL.