Abstract
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) presents a significant and escalating public health burden in Saudi Arabia, adversely affecting various dimensions of patients’ well-being. This study aimed to assess the multidimensional quality of life (QoL), also referred to as health-related quality of life (HRQoL) across financial, physical, psychological, and sexual domains among individuals with T2DM in Al Baha, Saudi Arabia, and to compare these outcomes with non-diabetic individuals. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted between October 2023 and November 2024 using a structured, self-administered online questionnaire. A total of 948 adults participated, including 495 individuals diagnosed with T2DM and 453 non-diabetic controls. The instrument collected sociodemographic data, disease history, treatment modalities, comorbidities, and QoL indicators across four domains. Results: Diabetic participants demonstrated significantly lower scores in psychological, physical, and sexual QoL domains compared to non-diabetics (p < 0.05). Lower psychological QoL was independently associated with younger age and longer disease duration. Physical QoL was significantly influenced by gender, disease duration, and type of treatment, while sexual QoL was negatively impacted by lower educational attainment and presence of comorbidities. A higher financial burden was strongly correlated with reduced psychological and physical QoL (r = −0.569 and −0.469, respectively; p < 0.001). Conclusion: T2DM is associated with impaired QoL across multiple domains. Targeted, multidimensional interventions are needed to address the physical, psychological, sexual, and financial challenges faced by diabetic individuals in this region.
Keywords:
diabetes; HRQoL; psychological; physical; sexual health; socioeconomic; comorbidity; Al Baha