Purpose This study aimed to investigate the symptom clusters and quality of life among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and to identify the relationship between quality of life and symptoms by cluster. Methods Data were collected through questionnaires and medical records of 123 patients with type 2 diabetes between December 27, 2018 and May 8, 2019. Type 2 diabetes-related symptoms were investigated using the Diabetes Symptom Self-Care Inventory, and quality of life was evaluated using the EuroQoL 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L). The collected data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, factor analysis, Pearson correlation coefficient, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Results Tiredness was a most frequently reported symptom; however, symptom with weight loss was the most critical symptom reported. Five symptom clusters were identified, four of which correlated with quality of life. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that thirst-fatigue clusters affected quality of life (β=-.26, p=.019). Conclusion Active treatment and continuous lifestyle management are needed to maintain proper blood sugar levels to address type 2 diabetes mellitus-related symptoms within a thirst-fatigue cluster. Identifying the cause of fatigue and applying physical and psychosocial interventions is also required. Symptoms experienced by patients with type 2 diabetes are connected to clusters. Effective disease management and improvement in the quality of life can be achieved by identifying these symptoms through merging and managing the relevant symptoms simultaneously.
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