Title : Relationship between glycemic control and frailty in Chinese older patients with diabetes: The mediating role of diabetes distress
Abstract:
Purpose:This study aimed to investigate the effects of glycemic control and diabetes distress on frailty in elderly Chinese patients with diabetes and to explore the mediating role of diabetes distress between glycemic control and frailty.
Design: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study. A total of 209 elderly diabetic patients were recruited from a teaching hospital in Zhejiang Province by convenience sampling method. Data were collected from February to September 2022.
Methods: A self-designed general data questionnaire was used to collect demographic data and disease-related data. Fried Scale and Diabetes Distress Scale were used to assess frailty and diabetes distress. The bootstrap method was used to examine the mediating effects of diabetes distress on glycemic control and frailty.
Results: The results showed that the level of glycemic control was positively correlated with frailty, diabetes distress was positively correlated with frailty, and diabetes distress played a completely mediating role between glycemic control and frailty.
Conclusions:The findings revealed the relationship between glycemic control, diabetes distress, and frailty, which may provide a reference for improving the frailty of elderly patients with diabetes. Incorporating strategies to mitigate diabetes distress and optimize glycemic control into clinical guidelines can promote more holistic care practices and ultimately contribute to better health outcomes for older patients with diabetes.
Clinical relevance: This study shows that glycemic control and diabetes distress are important factors in the frailty of elderly diabetic patients, which can contribute for medical staff to developing effective measures to improve the frailty of elderly diabetic patients in clinical practice.
Audience take away notes:
- The level of frailty,glycemic control and diabetes distress in elderly patients with diabetes.
- Relationship between frailty, blood sugar control and diabetes pain in elderly patients with diabetes.
- Practical implications of the findings in clinical practice, including potential strategies to improve frailty in elderly diabetic patients.
