Comparing health-related quality of life in chronic diseases: the importance of analyzing references

Depression, Anxiety, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

Background: Adults with type 2 diabetes are at a greater probability of suffering from mental health issues, which could result in a substantial effect on their HRQoL (health-related quality of life). Thus, the focus of this research was to investigate the relationship between comorbid anxiety, depression, and HRQoL among individuals with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 2016 to 2021 were used to identify adult patients with type 2 diabetes diagnoses for this research. The MEPS used the SF-12 to measure HRQoL. The study employed multivariable linear regression to analyze the association between anxiety, depression, and HRQoL in individuals with type 2 diabetes, taking into consideration several confounding variables such as age, gender, and comorbidities. Results: This study included 5259 individuals with type 2 diabetes, of which the mean age was 52.9 years, 50.7% were men, and 49.3% were women. The findings from this sample show a negative relationship between anxiety, depression, and type 2 diabetic patients' HRQoL. It shows that after adjusting for other factors, diabetes patients with depression (MCS: = -6.817), anxiety (MCS: = -4.957), and both (MCS: = -0.344) have a significantly poorer HRQoL than those without these mental health comorbidities (p-value < 0.001). It also demonstrated the adverse effects on HRQoL of having coexisting chronic illnesses like heart disease, hypertension, and other chronic illnesses, along with a low socioeconomic status. Additionally, it revealed the benefits of employment, education, and regular exercise for HRQoL. Conclusions: The study's findings highlight the links between anxiety, depression, and type 2 diabetes patients' poor HRQoL. It also showed the adverse effects of coexisting chronic diseases and low socioeconomic status on HRQoL and the benefit of work and exercise on HRQoL. These findings can help policymakers to reform healthcare and enforce the early detection and treatment of anxiety and depression to enhance the HRQoL of type 2 diabetic patients.

Anxiety and Depression and Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Population-Based Study

BACKGROUND

Adults with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are susceptible to mental disorders that might significantly affect their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate how HRQoL in individuals with GERD is related to coexisting anxiety and depression.

METHODS

A cross sectional study was conducted among 3068 adult patients 22 years of age and older with GERD diagnoses have been identified using the data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 2017 to 2020 for United States adults. Data are gathered by MEPS using an overlapping panel design over a period of two and a half years. HRQoL was established using the Physical and Mental Component Summary (PCS & MCS) values from the SF-12. Multivariate forward linear regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between anxiety, depression, and HRQoL in people with GERD after accounting for various factors.

RESULTS

Of the 3068 people with GERD who had been identified, 56.4% were women, 59.4% were in their 50s or 60s and 64.8% were employed. Thirteen per cent of people with GERD had depression, thirteen per cent had anxiety, and ten per cent had both. Adults with concurrent anxiety and depression had the lowest mean PCS and MCS scores compared to those with GERD. After adjusting for all independent factors, GERD patients with anxiety (MCS = -10.819, p-value < 0.0001), depression (MCS = -6.395, p-value < 0.0001), and both (MCS= -42.869, p-value < 0.0001) had substantially worse HRQoL than those without these comorbidities. Notably, better HRQoL scores were positively associated with marital status, employment, perceived overall health, and physical activity.

CONCLUSIONS

The results from this nationally representative sample shed insight into the relationships between low HRQoL and anxiety and depression among individuals with GERD. It also demonstrated the detrimental impacts of co-occurring chronic illnesses, low socioeconomic status, and the positive benefits of employment and exercise on HRQoL. This study emphasizes the clinical, policy, and public health implications for better healthcare, allocation of resources, and promotion of lifestyle modifications to improve the HRQoL in patients with GERD.