OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the association between the estimated risk of developing diabetes and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted of 1,336 Indonesians without a previous diagnosis of diabetes. The risk of developing diabetes was estimated using the validated Indonesian version of the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) instrument, while HRQoL was measured using the EuroQol 5-dimension 5-level. All participants underwent a blood glucose test using a finger-stick blood glucose test after fasting for 8 hours. The association of the FINDRISC, clinical conditions, and socio-demographic characteristics with HRQoL was analyzed using multivariate Tobit regression models. The estimation of minimally important differences was used to facilitate the interpretation of minimum changes in utility score that could be observed in practice.

RESULTS: The median (interquartile range) of the overall FINDRISC score was 6 (7), while the overall EQ-5D utility score was 0.93 (0.93-0.94). After adjusted by clinical conditions and socio-demographic characteristics, participants with lower quality of life were significantly associated with a higher FINDRISC score. Lower quality of life was also associated with being female, of older age, lower formal educational level, lower waist circumference, higher body mass index, and higher number of symptoms. No significant association between the fasting blood glucose level categories and HRQoL was detected. A difference of 4-5 points in the FINDRISC score was estimated to give meaningful changes of HRQoL in clinical practice.

CONCLUSIONS: Participants with a high risk of diabetes experience lower HRQoL. Therefore, attention should be given not only to patients with a diabetes diagnosis, but also to the general population with a high risk of developing diabetes to prevent disease progression and further deterioration of their HRQoL.