Background: Diabetes influences the quality of life which includes social, psychological and physical characteristics that affect health condition. Extra efforts are essential to assess and give consideration to health related quality of life. Aim of the Study: To assess the Quality of life of diabetic adolescents and to correlate between Quality of life and Subjective burden among diabetic adolescents. Methodology: Case control study conducted at MOH Arar diabetic centre included 25 adolescents with type 1 DM (12-18 year) were selected randomly from those attending diabetic centre in Arar city using a pre-designed validated SF-36 questionnaire translated into Arabic to collect the data from the participants by personal interviews. Collected data was coded and analysed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS, version 20). Results: 55% of participants aged between 12-15 years old. 60% of participants
were females. Of the 50 studied diabetic cases, 70% (35 case) reported regular insulin intake, 16% reported HbA1c ≤ 7.5% while 84% >7.5% (Mean ±SD= 9.11±1.40).Sex was significantly associated with the PHC, and MHC in the T1DM group (P < 0.05), and with the PHC in the control group (P < 0.05). Higher SF-36 scores were associated with poorer glycaemic control (HbA1c >7.5%) in physical functioning, (48.45±18.82), role limitations due to physical health (40.48±44.84) and general health (41.55±14.84). Conclusion: SF-36 scores of patients were low compared to control group which refer to poor quality of life among diabetic patients. Also, higher SF-36 scores were associated with poorer glycaemic control (HbA1c >7.5%) in all SF-36 components.
Keywords: Diabetes, T1DM, QoL, SF-36, KSA, Adolescents