Publication: The association between food insecurity, quality of life (QOL), and sociodemographic factors with glycaemic control among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients at Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia
Date
2026-06
Authors
Sukri, Nur Sabrina Syaninie Mohd
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Suboptimal glycaemic control is a major challenge among patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). In addition to clinical factors, food insecurity and quality of life (QoL) also influence diabetes management, especially in states with a high prevalence, such as Kelantan. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between food insecurity, quality of life, and sociodemographic factors with glycaemic control, measured using glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) among T2DM patients at Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM). A total of 110 T2DM patients were selected using a convenience sampling method. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, the Malay version of the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (MFIES), and the Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life (ADDQoL-19), while glycemic profile were retrieved from medical records. The mean HbA1c level of the participants was 9.33% ± 2.47%, with 82.7% (n=91) experiencing poor glycaemic control (HbA1c ≥ 7.0%). The prevalence of food insecurity among the participants was 18.2% (n=20). The median of Average Weighted Impact (AWI) score for the ADDQoL-19 was -3.62 (IQR= 3.23), indicating that diabetes mellitus had a negative impact on the participants' overall quality of life (QoL). Spearman's correlation analysis showed no significant association between food insecurity and glycaemic control (p = 0.089). However, there was a statistically significant moderate negative correlation between diabetes-specific QoL and HbA1c levels (rs = -0.326, p < 0.001), indicating that that higher HbA1c levels were associated with lower diabetes-specific QoL. Furthermore, there was no significant association between the studied sociodemographic factors and glycaemic control (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the prevalence of poor glycaemic control is remarkably high in this tertiary institution. Although food insecurity did not show a direct relationship with HbA1c, a decline in quality of life was proven to be closely associated with poor glycaemic control. These findings highlight the need for a holistic diabetes management plan that integrates psychosocial support alongside conventional clinical therapy to optimise treatment outcomes for T2DM patients.
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