Interrelationship among physical activity, quality of life, clinical and sociodemographic characteristics in a sample of Nigerian patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

A number of complexities surround the health and well-being of patients with type 2 diabetes. These difficulties relate to self-care efforts and outcomes, and several other factors play regulatory functions. This study was carried out to investigate the inter-relationship among physical activity, quality of life, and clinical and sociodemographic factors in a group of Nigerian patients with type 2 diabetes. The study was conducted at the outpatient clinics of two major healthcare facilities in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria. Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and quality of life was assessed using the Diabetes Quality of Life Brief Clinical Inventory. Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics were also documented. A total of 227 patients with type 2 diabetes with a mean age of 55.83 ± 13.76 years took part in the study. A total of 156 (68.7%) of the participants, had low level of physical activity, while 81 (35.7%) reported quality of life scores below the intermediate score and hypertension was the mo 63 (27.8%) of the participants. Being 50 years and older (OR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.21-3.67) increased the odds of having lower quality of life, while physical activity of moderate-to-high intensity reduced the odds (OR = 0.4; 95% CI = 0.2-0.8). A substantial proportion of patients with type 2 diabetes had below intermediate level quality of life, and most of them were physically inactive. Lower quality of life was also linked with sociodemographic and clinical variables but patients with moderate-to-high physical activity were likely to reduce by half the risk of poor quality of life.

Keywords: physical activity, quality of life, sociodemographic characteristics