Influencing Factors of Blood Glucose Monitoring in Middle-aged and Elderly Patients with Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus in Rural Areas

Abstract

Background The risk of diabetes mellitus can increase with age, and the prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes mellitus in the middle-aged and elderly adults is 40% and 10%, respectively. Good adherence to blood glucose monitoring improves the rate of glycohemoglobin compliance. However, adherence to blood glucose monitoring is poor in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in rural areas. Objective To investigate and understand the blood glucose monitoring situation of middle-aged and elderly patients with T2DM aged 45 to 65 years in rural areas of Zhongmou County, Henan Province, explore the psychological and behavioral factors affecting their adherence to blood glucose monitoring and monitoring frequency, so as to provide a reference for targeted interventions to improve the blood glucose monitoring compliance of the middle-aged and elderly patients with T2DM in rural areas. Methods Middle-aged and elderly T2DM patients in rural areas of Zhongmou County, Henan Province from November 2 to 12, 2021 were selected to conduct for questionnaire survey by using convenience sampling method. A self-designed general information questionnaire was used to investigate their basic information and blood glucose monitoring. Additionally, the Five-item Mindful Awareness Attention Scale (MAAS-5), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Diabetic Self-management Scale (DSMS) were used to investigate their mindfulness, anxiety, depression, and self-management ability, respectively. Univariate analysis, multivariate Logistic regression and negative binomial regressions were used to explore the influencing factors of situation and frequency of blood glucose monitoring and monitoring frequency in middle-aged and elderly T2DM patients. Results A total of 484 questionnaires were collected, and 469 were enrolled in this study, with a recovery rate of 96.9%. Of the 469 patients, 58.8% (276/469) were unable to monitor blood glucose monthly, and the frequency of monthly blood glucose measurements for the 193 patients who monitored blood glucose ranged from 1 to 60 times, with a median of 2 times. Logistic and negative binomial regression analysis showed that depression symptoms (AOR=1.127, P=0.005), high information level (AOR=0.133, P=0.023), and high motivation level (AOR=1.093, P=0.002) were facilitators of blood glucose monitoring; high annual income (AIRR=2.063, P<0.001) and alcohol consumption in the past 1 year (AIRR=1.569, P=0.011) were facilitators of blood glucose monitoring frequency. Smoking in the past 6 months (AOR=0.559, P=0.043) was a barrier of blood glucose monitoring; aged over 60 years (AIRR=0.668, P=0.024) was a barrier of blood glucose monitoring frequency. Conclusion The blood glucose monitoring status of middle-aged and elderly T2DM patients in rural areas is relatively poor, therefore, it is recommended that relevant health authorities should strengthen health education such as blood glucose monitoring knowledge and skills, provide medical and financial social support for low-income populations, to improve blood glucose monitoring compliance and achieve effective control, treatment, and rehabilitation of T2DM.

Keywords

• diabetes mellitus, type 2|the middle-aged and elderly|rural population|blood glucose self-monitoring|treatment adherence and compliance|root cause analysis