Quality of Life, Obesity and Glycemic Control in Mexican Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

Tuesday, 13 July 2010

Lidia G. Compean, PhD
Paulina Aguilera, MNS
Beatriz Del Angel, MNS
Elva Del Angel, MNS
Juana Tobias, SSI
Nursing Graduate School, Autonomous University of Tamaulipas, Tampico, Mexico

Learning Objective 1: describe some of the most common public health problems in mexican adults with type 2 diabetes.

Learning Objective 2: know some specific educational strategies that are using in this population with diabetes in order to improve self-care behaviors, quality of life and glycemic control.

Purpose: To determine quality of life, body mass index and glycemic control in Mexican adults with type 2 diabetes at the beginning of a cognitive-educational intervention.

Methods: This is basic data from a quasi-experimental study carried out in adults with type 2 diabetes, in those who are applying a Cognitive-Educational Nursing Intervention during six months in four sessions, in order to improve self-care behaviors, quality of life and glycemic control. The randomized sample size was 39 participants from 17 Health Centers in Tampico City Mexico. There were used anthropometric measures, a Spanish adapted version of Quality of Life Questionnaire and biochemical testing (HbA1c and fasting blood glucose). For data analysis there were calculated frequencies, proportions and central tendency measures.

Results: Average age was 52 years (DE = 9.55), scholarity 6.7 years (DE = 2.69) and illness duration 8.64 years (DE = 6.24). 79% were female. 36% had blood hypertension. It was found a low index of quality of life (X = 19.58, DE = 14.34). 92.3 % had obesity/overweight, and 7.7 normal weight. 97.4 % from participants had poor glycemic control (HbA1c > 7%).

Conclusion: Findings of this research lead suggest that this population have a low perceived quality of life, a high prevalence of overweight/obesity and poor glycemic control. Therefore, it could be a good strategy to intervene through a Cognitive-educational Nursing intervention in order to improve self-care behaviors and quality of life. It has been demonstrated that this can prevent and delay diabetes chronic complications.