Comparison of perceived social support and health-related quality of life in adults with type 2 diabetes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceived social support and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in individuals with type 2 diabetes in the capital of Iran. Methods This longitudinal study, part of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS), was c...

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Main Authors: Sara Jalali-Farahani, Parnian Parvin, Keyvan Olazadeh, Fereidoun Azizi, Parisa Amiri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-05-01
Series:Discover Public Health
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00685-5
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author Sara Jalali-Farahani
Parnian Parvin
Keyvan Olazadeh
Fereidoun Azizi
Parisa Amiri
author_facet Sara Jalali-Farahani
Parnian Parvin
Keyvan Olazadeh
Fereidoun Azizi
Parisa Amiri
author_sort Sara Jalali-Farahani
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceived social support and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in individuals with type 2 diabetes in the capital of Iran. Methods This longitudinal study, part of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS), was conducted from 2017 to 2019. Among 389 eligible participants, 321 adults (61.4% women) with type 2 diabetes were enrolled. Data on social support and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were collected both prior to the pandemic and 3–4 months after its onset in Iran. Standardized, validated, and reliable questionnaires were employed to evaluate social support and HRQoL. Paired t-tests and repeated measures analyses were used to compare scores before and after the pandemic. Results Participants had a mean age of 56.6 ± 13.2 years and a body mass index of 28.5 ± 4.6 kg/m2. Before the pandemic, mean scores for the PCS and MCS were 45.7 ± 8.6 and 49.7 ± 10.6, respectively, compared to 48.5 ± 7.9 and 44.2 ± 10.1 after the pandemic. While total perceived social support scores showed no significant change, subscale differences emerged by sex. Notably, both men and women reported significantly lower MCS scores post-pandemic (p < 0.01), while PCS scores significantly increased in women (43.45 ± 9.0 vs. 47.9 ± 8.0; p < 0.001). Conclusion The study indicates an improvement in physical HRQoL for women with diabetes, alongside a decline in mental HRQoL for both sexes, possibly associated with varying social support dynamics during the early stage of the pandemic in an urban Iranian population.
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spelling doaj-art-50b4e8c7f75945a3bde9fc33fb339e7e2025-08-20T03:22:00ZengSpringerDiscover Public Health3005-07742025-05-0122111210.1186/s12982-025-00685-5Comparison of perceived social support and health-related quality of life in adults with type 2 diabetes before and after the COVID-19 pandemicSara Jalali-Farahani0Parnian Parvin1Keyvan Olazadeh2Fereidoun Azizi3Parisa Amiri4Institute of Public Health and Wellbeing, University of EssexResearch Center for Social Determinants of Health, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesResearch Center for Social Determinants of Health, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesEndocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesResearch Center for Social Determinants of Health, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesAbstract Background This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceived social support and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in individuals with type 2 diabetes in the capital of Iran. Methods This longitudinal study, part of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS), was conducted from 2017 to 2019. Among 389 eligible participants, 321 adults (61.4% women) with type 2 diabetes were enrolled. Data on social support and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were collected both prior to the pandemic and 3–4 months after its onset in Iran. Standardized, validated, and reliable questionnaires were employed to evaluate social support and HRQoL. Paired t-tests and repeated measures analyses were used to compare scores before and after the pandemic. Results Participants had a mean age of 56.6 ± 13.2 years and a body mass index of 28.5 ± 4.6 kg/m2. Before the pandemic, mean scores for the PCS and MCS were 45.7 ± 8.6 and 49.7 ± 10.6, respectively, compared to 48.5 ± 7.9 and 44.2 ± 10.1 after the pandemic. While total perceived social support scores showed no significant change, subscale differences emerged by sex. Notably, both men and women reported significantly lower MCS scores post-pandemic (p < 0.01), while PCS scores significantly increased in women (43.45 ± 9.0 vs. 47.9 ± 8.0; p < 0.001). Conclusion The study indicates an improvement in physical HRQoL for women with diabetes, alongside a decline in mental HRQoL for both sexes, possibly associated with varying social support dynamics during the early stage of the pandemic in an urban Iranian population.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00685-5Health related quality of lifeSocial supportDiabetesCOVID-19Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study
spellingShingle Sara Jalali-Farahani
Parnian Parvin
Keyvan Olazadeh
Fereidoun Azizi
Parisa Amiri
Comparison of perceived social support and health-related quality of life in adults with type 2 diabetes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic
Discover Public Health
Health related quality of life
Social support
Diabetes
COVID-19
Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study
title Comparison of perceived social support and health-related quality of life in adults with type 2 diabetes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic
title_full Comparison of perceived social support and health-related quality of life in adults with type 2 diabetes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic
title_fullStr Comparison of perceived social support and health-related quality of life in adults with type 2 diabetes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of perceived social support and health-related quality of life in adults with type 2 diabetes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic
title_short Comparison of perceived social support and health-related quality of life in adults with type 2 diabetes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic
title_sort comparison of perceived social support and health related quality of life in adults with type 2 diabetes before and after the covid 19 pandemic
topic Health related quality of life
Social support
Diabetes
COVID-19
Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00685-5
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