Can Quality of Life Questionnaires be Used in Diabetics to Assess the Relation between HbA1c and Patient's Domain Aspects?

Over the past few decades, quality of life (QOL) has become an important concept in medical researches and treatments. Different meaningful reasons are given for this development. In the current research two standard questionnaires for evaluating of QOL were selected. First one, was a questionnaire from The World Health Organization (WHOQOL-BREF 26) and the second one, The Iranian Diabetic's Quality of Life (IRDQOL). The goal of this study is to assess the relation between different domains of these questionnaires and HbA1c in diabetics. A random sample of Iranian adult outpatient diabetics (n=76) was selected and they completed the WHOQOL and IRDQOL assessment instruments. In addition HbA1c was measured in these patients by calorimetric method. Comparisons were made between scores of "questionnaire's domains" and "HbA1c". Data analysis was carried out by the use of T-test, Spearman correlation coefficient, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and non-parametric statistical methods including Spearman correlation coefficient. Data analysis shows Psychological domain score in IRDQOL is lower than in WHOQOL and it is significant (P<0.0001). Physical domain score in IRDQOL is lower than WHOQOL and it is significant (P<0.0001). In WHOQOL questionnaire, analysis data showed when the patient's age increased, physical and psychological domain's score decreased. There is probably no relation between questionnaire domains and HbA1c in diabetics. Based on the findings in this research, there was obviously almost no difference between the two questionnaires for checking the QOL, but in IRDQOL spiritual domain is a very unreliable domain.