Table 2.
Impact of hypoglycemia on QoL domains: themes, number of references (N), described impacts, and areas of functioning affected
| Domains/Themes | N | Emotional | Behavioral | Cognitive | Social |
| Relationships and social life | 141 | X | X | X | X |
| Disrupted quality time | 117 | Interrupted/cancelled activities, irritability/conflict, worry about burdening others, fatigue, unable to interact with others | |||
| Reduced ability to parent | 27 | Unable to fulfil roles and responsibilites, unable to take care of children | |||
| Fears and compensatory strategies | 25 | Lack spontaneity, less active participation, maintain higher glucose levels | |||
| Work and studies | 148 | X | X | X | X |
| Reduced productivity or performance | 105 | Fatigue, poor concentration, interrupted/stopped tasks, fear negative evaluation from colleagues, late arrival/sick leave | |||
| Fears and compensatory strategies | 43 | Fear of hypoglycemia, maintain higher glucose levels, check glucose levels frequently | |||
| Limited employment prospects | 10 | Difficult to get/keep job, work part-time for less pressure, unable to pursue certain job prospects | |||
| Leisure and physical activity | 122 | X | X | X | X |
| Fears and limited spontaneity | 71 | Limited/ceased participation, lack spontaneity, fear of hypoglycemia, maintain higher glucose levels, check glucose levels repeatedly | |||
| Interrupted, discontinued, or cancelled activities | 61 | Breaks taken, activities cut short/cancelled, reduced performance, fatigue, concentration difficulties | |||
| Everyday life | 89 | X | X | X | X |
| Limited driving freedom | 47 | Fear of hypoglycemia, maintain higher glucose levels, check glucose levels frequently, unable to drive/delayed in starting trip | |||
| Day-to-day burdens | 30 | Carry treatments/equipment, interrupted/discontinued household duties, financial burden of treatments | |||
| Limited dietary freedom | 12 | Food choices dictated by glucose levels, unable to enjoy foods associated with hypoglycemia | |||
| Sleep | 62 | X | X | X | X |
| Fears and compensatory strategies | 28 | Fear hypoglycemic coma/not waking up, maintain higher glucose levels, set alarms to check glucose levels overnight | |||
| Disrupted sleep | 24 | Multiple interruptions, delayed sleep onset, unable to return to sleep, nightmares, rebound hyperglycemia | |||
| Next-day fatigue | 16 | Exhaustion, bad moods, and impaired functioning | |||
| Sex life | 24 | X | X | X | |
| Postponed, interrupted, or discontinued sexual activity | 23 | Interrupted/discontinued sex, limited ability to enjoy sex, worry about disappointing partner | |||
| Reduced spontaneity | 4 | Fear of/preoccupation with hypoglycemia during sex | |||
| Physical health | 14 | X | X | ||
| Other aspects of health negatively affected | 14 | Weight gain/unable to lose weight, comorbidities exacerbated, pregnancy complications | |||
| Mental health | 35 | X | X | X | |
| Emotional difficulties | 11 | Negative emotional states, ashamed/angry with self for recurrences, disordered eating behaviors exacerbated | |||
| Persistent stress | 24 | Fear of/preoccupation with the risk of hypoglycemia, less carefree | |||
Extracts may be coded to more than one subtheme, thus N for themes may exceed the sum of subtheme N. Emotional impacts=effects on mood. Behavioral impacts=effects on actions or conduct. Cognitive impacts=effects on thinking or decision-making. Social impacts=effects on interactions with others.
QoL, quality of life.