Diabetes mellitus; diabetic; quality of life; preventive measures

Goal: The purpose of this work was to determine whether the duration of the disease in diabetic patients and their age have an effect on the quality of their life in relation to this disease. Determine the preference in measures aimed at the prevention of the diabetic foot complications in diabetic patients. Methods: The research population included 172 patients from Trencin region in Slovakia. The research was based on a questionnaire developed by amending the standardized questionnaire of the WHO - WHOQOL-BREF to include additional items focusing on the choice of preventive measures related to the prevention of the complications of a diabetic foot. Results: No association was demonstrated between the duration of the disease in diabetic patients and their quality of life. However, the results demonstrated that there is an association between the age of the patients and their quality of life. We also found statistically significant differences in the choice of the most important areas of preventive measures preventing the complications of diabetic foot between men and women. Conclusion: Diabetic patients are not only passive recipients of care but also individuals who are active, independent and jointly responsible for the achieved results. Very important aspect is the knowledge of the preventive measures focused especially on the prevention of the complications of diabetic foot.