Impact of primary care-based disease management on the health-related quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes and co-morbidity

doi:10.2337/dc08-2223

Impact of primary care-based disease management on the health-related quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes and co-morbidity

Dominik Ose, MPH (dominik.ose{at}med.uni-heidelberg)¹,
Michel Wensing, PhD¹,²,
Joachim Szecsenyi, MD, MSc¹,
Stefanie Joos, MD¹,
Katja Hermann, MSc¹ and
Antje Miksch, MD¹

¹ Department of General Practice and Health Services Research, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
² Scientific Institute for Quality in Health Care, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the German diabetes disease management program (DMP) in patients with varying numbers of other medical conditions with respect to their health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Research design and methods: A questionnaire, including the HRQoL measure EQ-5D, was mailed to a random sample of 3,546 patients with type 2 diabetes (59.3% female). The EQ-5D score was analyzed by grouping patients according to those on a DMP and those receiving routine care.

Results: The analysis showed that participation in the DMP (p<0.001), the number of other conditions (p<0.001) and the interaction between DMP and * number of other conditions (p<0.05) had a significant impact on the EQ-5D score.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the number of other conditions may have a negative impact on the HRQoL of patients with type 2 diabetes. Our results demonstrate that the German DMP for type 2 diabetes may help counterbalance this effect.