title: Health-related quality of life of Finnish patients with diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the influence of diabetes on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scores of adult patients with diabetes in northern Finland.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 3771 patients of the population of 10,264 patients aged ⩾15 years with the right for reimbursement of the cost of diabetes medication attended fundus photography screening for retinopathy in 2012. The 15D HRQoL scores and data on age, sex, type and duration of diabetes were gathered concurrently. The results were compared with the 15D scores reported in Finnish population studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 15D score was obtained from 2461 patients aged 60±14 years; 20% had type 1 diabetes (T1D). The mean±SD 15D index was 0.930±0.079 in patients with T1D and their mean±SD age was 46±15 years. The mean±SD 15D index of the patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) was 0.890±0.100 and their mean±SD age was 63±11 years. The 15D index was no lower than in the Finnish general population in either patient group or in any age group. However, the 15D score was negatively influenced by an increasing duration of diabetes in both patients with T1D and patients with T2D. No sex difference was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean HRQoL score of patients with diabetes in this study is comparable with that of the general population of equal age. Neither the type of diabetes nor sex independently affected the HRQoL score, but a longer duration of diabetes seemed to impair the HRQoL score. Current diabetes care appears to maintain a normal HRQoL score in this diabetic population in Finland.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Research Center, University of Oulu, Finland.|2 PEDEGO Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Carolin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schanner
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Research Center, University of Oulu, Finland.|2 PEDEGO Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.|3 Oulu University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: Aura
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Falck
authors.affiliation: 3 Oulu University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keskitalo
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Research Center, University of Oulu, Finland.|2 PEDEGO Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.|3 Oulu University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hautala
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000628:therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000628:therapy*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: 15D; Type 1 diabetes; adults; diabetic retinopathy; health-related quality of life; population; retinopathy screening; type 2 diabetes