Mediating effect of self-perceived aging on the relationship between family care and quality of life among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective To explore the mediating effect of self-perceived aging between family care and quality of life (QOL) of elderly type 2 diabetes patients, and to provide the evidence for improving the QOL of elderly type 2 diabetes patients. Methods The convenience sampling method was used to investigate 215 elderly patients with type 2 diabetes by using the Brief Ageing Perceptions Questionnaire, the Family APGAR Index and the Diabetes Specific Quality of Life Scale, and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS20.0 software. Results The self-perceived aging score of the elderly patients with type 2 diabetes was (49.90±12.11), the family care score was (7.17±2.53), and the QOL score was (65.89± 12.07). Family care score was negatively correlated with QOL score in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes (r value was -0.480, P<0.01), self-perceived aging score was negatively correlated with family care score (r value was -0.472, P<0.01), and positively correlated with QOL score (r value was 0.688, P<0.01). The mediating effect test showed that self-perceived aging played a complete mediating role between family care and QOL in elderly type 2 diabetes patients, and the mediating effect accounted for 86.51% of the total effect. Conclusions Self-perceived aging is the mediating variable of family care and QOL, and establishing positive self-perceived aging is conducive to improving the QOL of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes. Key words: Aged; Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Quality of life; Family care; Self-perceptions of aging; Mediating effect