ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Health-related quality of life (HRQL) in type 1 diabetes is a critical health outcome but has not been studied in many low-income countries. In this study we evaluated the validity of 2 HRQL instruments, measured the HRQL and explored the association between HRQL and glycemic control. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of Haitian youth with diabetes between 0 and 25 years of age and living in Haiti. We administered the 51-item Diabetes Quality of Life for Youth (DQOLY) questionnaire and the EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS). Psychometric analyses evaluated internal consistency and construct validity of the DQOLY and its 21-item short form, the DQOLY-SF. Linear regression was used to identify predictors of HRQL and glycated hemoglobin (A1C). RESULTS: In 85 youth (59% female; mean age, 17.5 years; mean diabetes duration, 3.7 years; mean A1C, 11.3%), DQOLY and DQOLY-SF had adequate internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.86 and 0.84, respectively. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed adequate validity for the DQOLY-SF and DQOLY Satisfaction subscale. HRQL, as measured using the DQOLY-SF, was 62±16 (mean ± standard deviation) out of 100. Mean EQ-VAS score was 78±24 out of 100. Older age (p=0.004), female sex (p=0.02) and lower socioeconomic status (SES) (p=0.03) were risk factors for lower DQOLY score, and older age (p=0.02) and marginally female sex (p=0.06) for lower DQOLY-SF score. No predictors of EQ-VAS were identified. HRQL measures were not associated with glycemic control. CONCLUSIONS: The DQOLY-SF and DQOLY Satisfaction subscale are valid measures of HRQL in Haitian youth with diabetes. HRQL is low and was worse in older, female and low-SES youth, but was not associated with glycemic control.
