Introduction:

Diabetes mellitus, the second leading cause of mortality worldwide, is a chronic disease with a high incidence in adults. The quality of life can be modified with the symptoms that affect the patient's state of health.

Objective:

To describe the dimensions of quality of life that are affected in diabetic adult and elderly patients.

Methods:

Descriptive, cross-sectional study with operational units of the Chambo-Riobamba Health District, Ecuador, from November 2017 to January 2018. The study group was made up of 138 patients with diabetes mellitus. A non-probabilistic sampling was carried out for convenience, and the sample finally consisted of 101 patients. To obtain the data, the scale of quality of life and satisfaction in patients was used.

Results:

There was a predominance of the female sex prevailed at ages 50 to 79 (76.20%), together with the Catholic religion (79.20%), married as a status (62.37%), and basic education level (60.39%). Hypertension, arthritis and vision problems formed the clinical features with the highest incidence. Among the dimensions of quality of life frequently affected, changes in their appearance and limitations to develop physical activities were reported.

Conclusions:

Changes in personal life, the individual capacity to adapt to the disease, limitations for the development of daily activities, rest, and economic problems are among the most affected dimensions of quality of life, which generate difficulties for the patients’ maintaining their health.

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