RESEARCH OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS WITH DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Abstract

The aim of the research: To determine effective techniques for researching the quality of life of patients with diabetic retinopathy, conduct surveys, and analyze the obtained results. Materials and Methods: Bibliosemantic and analytical methods, sociological and statistical methods were employed. A standardized quality of life questionnaire, SF-36, was used. The study population consisted of 30 outpatient patients (22 females and 8 males) who are affiliated with the State Institution of Science «Research and Practical Center of Preventive and Clinical Medicine» State Administrative Department, suffering from diabetes with diabetic retinopathy. Results and Discussion: In medical practice, "health-related quality of life" (HRQL) refers to the comprehensive characterization of a patient's physical, psychological, social, and emotional well-being, as assessed based on their subjective perception. Key requirements for modern questionnaires include universality, reliability, sensitivity to changes in the health status of each patient, reproducibility, and ease of use. Additionally, these questionnaires should be standardized, meaning they have a consistent set of standard questions and response options for all respondents, and they should allow for quantitative assessment of psychophysical well-being. In Europe, the most commonly used general-type questionnaire is the EuroQol (EQ-5D), while in the United States, the American questionnaire SF-36 and its variations (SF-22, SF-20, SF-12) are widely recognized. During our research, the assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQL) was conducted using the SF-36 questionnaire, which patients filled out by hand. The study population consisted of 30 outpatient patients (22 females and 8 males) suffering from diabetes with diabetic retinopathy of the second and third degree of severity (preproliferative and proliferative). Conclusions: The only element of self-perception of the disease that was found to be prognostically favorable for health-related quality of life (HRQL) is anosognostic attitudes oriented towards continuing an active way of life and a drive for self-realization. The pronounced maladaptive component of self-perception of the disease is associated with a decrease in HRQL both overall and in specific areas. It is not excluded that the tendency to attach excessive significance to the disease creates a favorable ground for the emergence of emotional problems and the development of intra- and interpersonal conflicts, both related and unrelated to the illness.