| dc.description.translatedabstract | Diabetes is a chronic disease which can cause serious complications and lead to the death. Diabetes engages epidemic dimensions and today it is calculated that suffer from diabetes above 246 million persons all over the world. It is estimated that in 2025 this number will exceed 380 millions. In Cyprus there are approximately 80.000-90.000 diabetics (percentage of 10,3% of population). About 5% of diabetics suffer from Diabetes of type 1 or insulin depended diabetes and the remainder they are diabetics of type 2, who regulate their diabetes with diet, exercise and pharmaceutical treatment by mouth or even insulin. Diabetes is a chronic disease with big social and economic cost. The increased sickliness and mortality, the big frequency of complications and infirmities as well as the decreased productivity of diabetics constitute essential problems for public health worldwide. The diabetes weakens the bodily and mental health while it influences negatively many of the daily activities. All social and economic decisions of a diabetic's life are influenced, i.e. his job, his education, his insurance and his family relations. Therefore, it is imposed a comprehensive approach for the study of the repercussions of Diabetes according to the multifactorial theory which is related with the health quality of life. Since this disorder is not yet curable, health services are required to achieve the maintenance or even the improvement to the quality of life of diabetics.In addition, Diabetes affects not only the diabetic's life but also their family's life and especially the life those who are charged with their care. It can be said that the moment of diagnosis of Diabetes changes the life of family, particularly if the diagnosis is Diabetes of type 1.The present research will evaluate the diabetics' quality of life in the district of Paphos and it will specify the factors which influence this quality. It will also evaluate the consequences of this disease to diabetic‟s family life, given its chronicity and its complications. The research will lead to conclusions and will propose measures for the improvement of diabetics‟ quality of life.This research took place in Paphos with the participation of patients who are nursed in Medical Centre “ELPIS” and in Paphos General Hospital. The collection of data became after oral informed consent of the participants. It was used the method of completion of questionnaires of acknowledged validity and reliability, which could estimate the quality of life of diabetics and the implications of the disease to their families. They were evaluated the completed questionnaires of 47 diabetics and the questionnaires of their family members who help to their treatment. We used the Greek publications of questionnaires SF-36 and Zarit Burden Interview. The participants also supplemented a special questionnaire which can reveal social, demographic and anthropometric data. Finally, it is also used data from the patients' medical file in the Private Hospital “ELPIS” in Paphos and in Paphos General Hospital.
Results
The quality of life of patients with Diabetes is presented considerably decreased in all the sectors. The symptoms and the clinical criteria of the disease do not reflect sufficiently the effect in the quality of life of patients, as they present mediocre cross-correlations with the scales of SF-36. Statistically important cross-correlation was found between the level of education and the situation of health asking (p value 0,05). Also, the individuals with bigger income answered that they have relatively better level of health (p value 0,022). The elder participants answered that they had relatively bad level of health (p. value 0,011). In our research the sex did not have statistically important cross-correlation with the situation of health asking. The individuals with diabetes that they admitted that the situation of their health was ugly, they also had less liveliness and bigger psychological stress (p value 0,002). The relatives of corpulent diabetics declare bigger stress which is a statistically important cross-correlation (p value 0,035). The relatives of those who use insulin report bigger stress and this cross-correlation is statistically important (p value 0,036). The burden for the members of their families who care them is extremely heavy.
Conclusion
The quality of life of individuals suffering from diabetes in Paphos district is influenced negatively, a conclusion which is in accordance with other similar studies. The quality of life of diabetics is more deteriorated when they make use of insulin in contrary to those whose their treatment does not include insulin injections. The estimate of quality of life in combination with the objective criteria of illness leads to better comprehension of effects and to more reasonable treatment. In that way beyond the successful medical result, it is achieved patient‟s satisfaction of his expectations. The improvement of diabetics' quality of life will decrease also the level of stress to their relatives who are responsible for their care. | el_GR |
