Social support and self-care activities among the elderly patients with diabetes in Kelantan

Diabetes is common among the elderly and can significantly affect their lives including the issues related with social support and diabetic self-care activities.

The objective of this study was to examine the social support and self-care activities among the elderly patients with diabetes.

A survey involving 200 patients was conducted from March 2013 to May 2013 in three hospitals in Kelantan. Data were obtained through self-administered questionnaires and clinical characteristics were acquired from the patients' records.

The scores for social support (mean = 19.26; SD = 2.63) and self-care activities (mean = 14.83; SD = 4.92) were moderate. Higher social support was associated with high levels of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood sugar (FBS) level, the duration of diabetes and a decrease in body mass index (BMI) (p<0.05). It was observed that the patients with low educational, Hb1Ac and FBS level, with other chronic diseases and who have had diabetes for some time had low self-care activities (p<0.05). There was a significant negative relationship between an increase in social support and decrease in self-care activity (p<0.05).

Healthcare providers, family and friends have to strengthen their relationship with the elderly patients with diabetes to provide more social support and promote the compliance with diabetic self-care activities to improve clinical outcomes.