Impact of Diabetic Foot Ulcer on the Health-Related Quality of Life of Diabetic Patients in Khartoum State.

ABSTRACT

Background This is a novel study from Sudan aimed at comparing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) patients and diabetes patients without DFU. Additionally, this study aimed to determine the factors correlating with lower HRQoL. Methodology A descriptive, cross-sectional study with a comparative group was conducted in three diabetes centers in Khartoum, Sudan, in 2020. A total of 120 Sudanese diabetic patients (mean age = 52 years) were divided into two groups, without DFU and with DFU, and interviewed in person. Demographic and clinical variables were recorded. HRQoL was evaluated using the standardized RAND-36 (36-Item Short Form Health Survey) survey for all participants. HRQoL domains and total scores were compared in the two groups using the t-test. Inference against sociodemographic data was determined using Pearson's test and analysis of variance. Results The DFU group (36 males, 24 females) scored significantly lower in five (yet higher in two out of the eight subscales) compared to the non-DFU diabetic group (31 males, 29 females). Energy/fatigue levels remained insignificant. Being a female (p = 0.03), painful ulcers (p = 0.001), insulin use (p = 0.04), and newly developed ulcers (p = 0.005) were associated with lower HRQoL total scores in the DFU group. However, educational levels had a positive correlation (p = 0.02). Conclusions DFU patients have lower HRQoL than diabetic patients without ulcers. They need more support, including disease-specific education, realistic expectations (regarding ulcer's impact, healing, and management), physical rehabilitation, and culturally sensitive assessment tools.