Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to assess the socioeconomic factors as determinants of the quality of Life of diabetic patients in NAUTH. Some research questions and hypotheses were set to guide the study. A cross sectional correlation research design was adopted for the study. A sample of 226 respondents was drawn from the target population of 520 diabetic patients in NAUTH using Taro Yamane formula. Purposive sampling technique was used to choose NAUTH as the only Teaching Hospital that operate diabetic clinic in the state. Stratified proportionate sampling technique was used to build in gender representativeness. Convenience sampling technique was used to reach the respondents. Data was collected using a socio demographic questionnaire constructed by the researcher and adapted WHOQoL-SRPB field test instrument. Data analysis was done using simple descriptive statistical analysis, Kruskal-Wallis H and Spearman‘s rank correlation coefficient to determine associations between the variables. The study revealed that there was a positive relationship between the respondents educational level (p<.001), economic level (p<.001) and social/family relation (p<.001) and their QoL .This means that increase in these factors increases the QoL of the respondents. There was a weak negative association between the participants’ religio-cultural practices and their quality of life (P< .05). Increase in the quality of life domains was associated with decrease in the religiocultural practices of the participants except their social relation. Among other things the researcher recommended that the health care team for diabetics should not be only diseasecentered but QoL of the diabetic patient should always be regularly assessed and improved accordingly.
