Research On The Status Quo Of Social Network And Its Influencing Factors In Elderly Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Objective:To describe the social network status of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes;to explore the related factors of social network in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.Methods:From April to September,2019,elderly patients with type 2 diabetes were selected from the outpatient and ward of endocrinology department of Dongzhimen Hospital affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine,Beijing Hospital,China-Japan Friendship Hospital,and five communities under the jurisdiction of Fangzhuang Community Health Service Center.The Lubben Social Network Sale-6(LSNS-6)was used to investigate the social network level of the elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.Personal information sheet,Summary of Diabetes Self-care Activities Scale(SDSCA),Social Support Rating Scale(SSRS)and Geriatric Depression Scale-15(GDS-15)were used to investigate the factors related to the social network of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.The level of social network in the elderly patients with type 2 diabetes was analyzed by means of statistical description.Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis,independent t test,analysis of variance,non-parametric test,chi-square test and multiple linear stepwise regression analysis were used to analyze the related factors of social network in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.Results:(1)The score of LSNS-6 in 300 elderly patients with type 2 diabetes was 16.75 ± 7.02,of which the score of family network dimension was 8.32±3.63 and that of friend network dimension was 8.43 ± 4.74.There were 68 patients with LSNS-6 score<12(social isolation),accounting for 22.7%of the total population.(2)All the 68 elderly patients with social isolation were retired,which showed statistical differences with 232 elderly patients without social isolation in smoking status,participation in community activities and work status(P<0.05).(3)The results of multiple linear stepwise regression analysis showed that "social support"and "self-management" enter the regression equation of social network,which explained 50.8%of the total variation of social network.Both variables were positively correlated with the score of LSNS-6.Only "social support" entered the family network dimension regression equation,which accounts for 28.5%of the total variation of family network and is positively correlated with the score of family network dimension."Social support","self-management","smoking status" and "number of living children" were included in the regression equation of the friend network dimension,which accounted for 46.7%of the total variation of the friend network.Social support level,self-management level and smoking were positively correlated with the score of friend network dimension,while the number of living children was negatively correlated with the score of friend network dimension.Conclusions:The social network of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes is at a medium level,and social isolation occurs in nearly a quarter of the elderly patients."Social support"and "self-management" are the main factors influencing the social network of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes."Social support" not only affects the overall social network of patients,but also affects the two dimensions of their social network.Patients with high social support level have high social network level.In addition to "social support" and "self-management,""smoking status" and "number of living children" also affected the friend network dimension of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.Patients who smoked and had fewer surviving children had higher level of friend network.It is suggested that when nursing elderly patients with type 2 diabetes,relevant personnel should fully consider the role,level and related factors of patients’ social network,focus on the patients with social isolation,encourage their family members and friends to participate in the management of diabetes.