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Determinants of quality of life in type 2 diabetes population: the inclusion of personality

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Abstract

Objective

The identification of factors that affect quality of life (QoL) is crucial to ameliorate the increasing burden of diabetes. This study tested a multi-dimensional model that consisted of factors across three domains (personal, medical, and lifestyle factors) to understand determinants of QoL in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Research design and methods

A total of 1,147 adults with type 2 diabetes completed a self-report survey which assessed demographic factors, personality (activity sub-trait), medical factors (diabetes duration, insulin use, number of comorbidities, and Body Mass Index), lifestyle behaviors (smoking, physical activity, and diet), and two indicators of QoL [i.e., health-related quality of life (HRQL) and life satisfaction (LS)].

Results

The model explained 27.1 and 18.2% of the variance for HRQL and LS, respectively. Age was positively related to HRQL (β = 0.14, P < 0.01). Personality (sub-activity trait) was the strongest, independent variable in both HRQL (β = 0.25, P < 0.01) and LS (β = 0.25, P < 0.01) after controlling for demographic, medical, and lifestyle factors. Physical activity was positively associated (β = 0.14, P < 0.01) with HRQL but not with LS.

Conclusions

Personality may be a useful screening tool to distinguish adults with type 2 diabetes who are at risk for poor QoL.

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Abbreviations

BMI:

Body mass index

HRQL:

Health-related quality of life

LS:

Life satisfaction

QoL:

Quality of life

OR:

Odds ratio

SWLS:

Satisfaction with life scale

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research. II is supported from the Nakajima Foundation. RCP is supported from a Salary Award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Applied Public Health Chair Program). KSC holds a Canada Research Chair. JAJ holds a Canada Research Chair and is a Senior Scholar with Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.

Conflict of interest

No relevant conflict of interest to report.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Ikuyo Imayama, Ronald C. Plotnikoff & Jeffrey A. Johnson

  2. Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Ronald C. Plotnikoff & Kerry S. Courneya

  3. Professor and Chair in Physical Activity and Population Health Education, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia

    Ronald C. Plotnikoff

Authors
  1. Ikuyo Imayama
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  2. Ronald C. Plotnikoff
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  3. Kerry S. Courneya
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  4. Jeffrey A. Johnson
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Correspondence to Ronald C. Plotnikoff.

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Imayama, I., Plotnikoff, R.C., Courneya, K.S. et al. Determinants of quality of life in type 2 diabetes population: the inclusion of personality. Qual Life Res 20, 551–558 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-010-9772-8

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