title: [Diabetes mellitus: how important is it to measure the quality of life?].
abstract: Maintaining the quality of life (QoL) of diabetics is a decisive outcome variable in the treatment of diabetes. It should be used as an important indicator of quality in assessing efficacy and effectiveness of therapeutic measures. QoL of diabetics is reduced compared with non-diabetics. Diabetics with impaired QoL more frequently suffer from subclinical or clinical depression, which clearly impairs the short-term and chronic prognosis of the disease. The WHO-5 questionnaire has proven valuable for measuring QoL and in screening for depression. It is a simple and valid method of assessment which is recommended in international and national guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Zentrum Mergentheim, Bad Mergentheim, Germany. Kulzer@diabetes-zentrum.de
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kulzer
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome