Elderly Diabetic Patients’ Perception on Family Support and Glucose Control

Elderly are often associated with multiple social and health problems. Family members are important in helping them doing their daily activities. For elderly diabetics, family support has a role in diabetes management and glucose control. The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions of elderly diabetics regarding the role of family support on their glucose control. This qualitative technique was a part of the study on glucose control and its associated factors among elderly diabetics. It was conducted from February until May 2009 in Kulim. Ten respondents were purposively sampled based on their glucose control. HbA1c 6.5% or less was considered as good glucose control. In depth interview, using semi-structured interview guide was used in this study. The conversation had been taped, transcribed to verbatim and analyzed manually using thematic analysis. All ten respondents perceived that family support did not play a role on their glucose control. They believed that self-awareness and self-determination were important to control the glucose level. Those with good glucose control practiced healthy diet, and not affected by food prepared by their family members compared to those with poor glucose control. However, both groups claimed that, they did not receive much advice from their family members and no special food was prepared for them. Elderly diabetics should be motivated on self-determination and focusing on good glucose control. Health education should be given to patients and their family members to increase their diabetes knowledge especially on useful advice and proper food preparation. It could motivate the elderly diabetics to control their glucose level.

Misconception and Knowledge about Diabetes in Elderly Diabetics

BACKGROUND: Diabetes was common problem in older adults. However, there were widespread misconceptions about possible consequences of uncontrolled hyperglycemia. So we studied the frequency of misconceptions and their relationship with knowledge about diabetes. glycemic control, and clinical characteristics of elderly diabetic patients. METHODS: Among 127 medical records of elderly diabetic patients. we investigated age. sex, duration of diabetes. onset age of diabetes, body mass index. We interviewed about history of admission due to diabetes information source of diabetes, level of education, experience of education for diabetes and self care status such as self monitoring of blood glucose and urine glucose. daily foot care and measurement of body weight. For evaluation of misconception and knowledge. we used structured interviews based on validated scales. RESULTS: There was no relationship between frequency of misconception and age, sex, duration of diabetes, information source of diabetes level of education, experience of education for diabetes and self care status such as self monitoring of blood glucose.and urine glucose, daily foot care and measurement of body weight. But the score of knowledge was related with good glycemic control state (Hb Alc < 7.0%) and good self-care status (self monitoring of blood glucose, and measurement of body weight) And linear relationship between the frequency of misconception and score of knowledge was found ( p<0.001) CONCLUSION: Our study suggested that the glycemic control was related with the score of knowledge, but not with frequency of misconception. But further study about other misconceptions will be needed for improving patients quality of life and reducing long-term complication.

Drug Compliance and Occurrence of Adverse Drug Reactions According to Activities of Daily Living(ADL) Function of Elderly Diabetic Patients

BACKGROUND: To investigate the effect of ADL on the drug compliance and the occurrence of drug side reactions in elderly diabetic out-patients, we performed a study concerning prescriptions. METHODS: Eighty six elderly diabetic out-patients(65~92 year-old)were divided into two groups by the function of ADL(normal ADL group> or =5 score, impaired ADL group< or = 4 score). Four weeks after prescription we examined the account of remaining medicines and the occurrence of adverse drug reactions. Patient compliance with drug therapy was assessed by counting the remained drugs at 4 week according to the following criteria: 2 or 3 days of prescribed drugs, 95% compliance; 1 week, 75%; 2 weeks, 50%; and 3 weeks or more, 25%. The frequency of drug adverse reaction is expressed as the percentage of the number of patients experienced side effect(s) over the total number of patients in each group during 4-weeks. RESULTS: Drug compliance was significantly higher in normal ADL group than in impaired Group(normal 87+/-15.6%, impaired 66+/-14.1%, p<0.01). Drug side effects were more in impaired ADL group than in normal group(impaired ADL group 26.3%, normal group 10.4%). Five normal ADL patients and 10 impaired ones had a total of 20 adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: ADL performance influenced the drug intake compliance and the frequency of drug side effects in elderly diabetic out-patients.