Ting Yao,1,2 Qiuxia Jiang,3 Feng Zhang,1,2 Hong Cao,1,2 Dan Li,1,2 Jiai Yan,1,2 Yingyu Wang,1,2 Ju Yang,1,2 Ruijuan Zhuang,2,3 Jing Sun1,2 

1Department of Nutrition, Functional Food Clinical Evaluation Center, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214000, People’s Republic of China; 2Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Geriatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214000, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Ruijuan Zhuang, Department of Geriatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, 200 Huihe Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-15301516330, Email 9862019047@jiangnan.edu.cn Jing Sun, Department of Nutrition, Functional Food Clinical Evaluation Center, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, 1000 Hefeng Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-15104026120, 214122, Email sunjingcmu@163.com

Purpose: Improving the health behaviors of older type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients is crucial for promoting healthy aging worldwide. Given the significant role of expectations regarding aging (ERA) in fostering healthy behaviors and improving disease outcomes, understanding its status and influencing factors in this population is essential.
Patients and Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2023 to February 2024 at a tertiary hospital in China, where 289 elderly T2DM patients were surveyed. Self-reported questionnaires were used to assess sociodemographic and clinical data, ERA, depression, social support, diabetes self-efficacy. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 software, employing Pearson correlation analysis, univariate analysis, and multiple stepwise linear regression.
Results: The ERA score in older T2DM patients was 39.72 ± 9.53, which was at a medium-low level. The level of ERA is negatively correlated with depression (r = − 0.549, p < 0.01) and positively correlated with social support (r = 0.625, p < 0.01) and diabetes self-efficacy (r = 0.514, p < 0.01). Age, family monthly income, type of daily medication, number of sources for diabetes-related knowledge, as well as depression, social support, and diabetes self-efficacy are factors that influence ERA and can explain 59.2% of the total variance.
Conclusion: Efforts should be made to promote ERA in older patients with T2DM. Healthcare providers should develop intervention strategies based on identifying the factors that influence the ERA in elderly T2DM patients to improve their health outcomes and enhance their health management awareness, thereby improving the quality of their later years.

Keywords: expectations regarding aging, depression, social support, diabetes self-efficacy, older people, type 2 diabetes mellitus