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Hemoglobin A1c improvements and better diabetesspecific quality of life among participants completing diabetes self-management programs: A nested cohort study
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes , 05/21/2012
Clinical Article
Khanna A et al. – Improvements in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) among participants completing a diabetes self–management program were associated with better diabetes–specific quality of life. Innovations in primary care that engage patients in self–management and improve clinical biomarkers, such as HbA1c, may also be associated with better quality of life, a key outcome from the patient perspective.
Methods- The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study nested within a randomized comparative effectiveness trial of diabetes self–management interventions in 75 diabetic patients.
- Multiple linear regression models were developed to examine the relationship between change in HbA1c from baseline to one–year follow–up and Diabetes–39 (a diabetes–specific quality of life measure) at one year.
- HbA1c levels improved for the overall cohort from baseline to one–year follow–up (t (74) = 3.09, p = .0029).
- One–year follow up HbA1c was correlated with worse overall quality of life (r = 0.33, p = 0.004).
- Improvements in HbA1c from baseline to one–year follow–up were associated with greater D–39 diabetes control (beta = 0.23, p = .04) and D–39 sexual functioning (beta = 0.25, p = .03) quality of life subscales.