Xia Ren,* Zhaoxia Tian,* Hongmei Li

Department of Nursing, Fenyang College of Shanxi Medical University, Fenyang City, Shanxi Province, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Hongmei Li, Department of Nursing, Fenyang College of Shanxi Medical University, No. 16, Hero North Road, Fenyang City, Shanxi Province, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86358-13513583825, Email 313411230@qq.com

Background: Aging diabetic patients have an increased incidence of hypoglycemia due to long disease history, multiple medications, and other factors. The higher the frequency of hypoglycemia, the greater the fear of it, and the heavier the psychological burden. This fear can have a significant negative impact on the patient’s personal psychological distress related to the disease, self-care, and the quality of life of other family members. Therefore, analyzing the factors contributing to the fear of hypoglycemia is crucial for finding effective ways to overcome them.
Objective: To analyze the correlation between hypoglycemic fear (FOH), psychological well-being, and family support function in older adults patients with diabetes mellitus (DM).
Methods: Seventy-eight older adults patients with DM were recruited from the community for the study. The Chinese version of the hypoglycemia fear survey scale (CHFSII-WS), WHO-5 happiness index scale and family support function scale were used to analyze the influencing factors of FOH in older adults DM patients to clarify the correlation between FOH, psychological well-being, and family support function.
Results: Low academic qualification, long course of disease, the frequency of hypoglycemia episodes > 2 in the last one year were the risk factor for FOH in older adults DM patients, and hypoglycemia prevention education, psychological well-being and family support function were protective factors. Family support function had a mediating effect.
Conclusion: Older adults patients with DM have higher levels of FOH, which has many influencing factors, and family support function has an obvious mediating effect between FOH and psychological well-being. High-intensity FOH can be improved by actively developing hypoglycemia prevention education for patients and caregivers and improving family support function and psychological well-being.

Keywords: fear of hypoglycemia, old age, psychological happiness, family support function