The Influence of Caregiver, Social Support and Quality of Life in Elderly People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Thailand
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Diabetes mellitus significantly impacts the quality of life (QoL) of older adults, particularly in rural Thailand.
Beyond clinical management, caregiver support and social networks are considered to be crucial determinants of
well-being. However, research regarding these factors remains limited in this specific context. This study examines the
influence of caregiver, perceived social support, and QoL among elderly with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 366 elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(aged ≥60
years). Data were collected by structured questionnaires. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to examine
associations while controlling sociodemographic and health-related variables.
Results: The mean age of participants was 67.70 years (SD = 4.99), with 69.67% female. Most received care from a spouse
(54.37%) or family members (28.69%), while 16.94% had no caregiver. High perceived social support(β = 0.507, p <
0.001). was associated withbetter quality of life. Similarly,family caregivers(β = 0.229, p < 0.001),spousal care(β = 0.114,
p < 0.05), secondary/vocational education(β = 0.367, p < 0.001)were also associated with better quality of life. Conversely,
hypertension(β = -0.153, p < 0.001), depression symptoms(β = -0.139, p < 0.05) were negative associations.
Conclusion: Caregiver and perceived social support were associated with better quality of life in elderly diabetic patients
in rural Thailand. These findings showed the importance of psychological management in diabetes mellitusand underscore
the need for holistic, community-based interventions that establish caregiving networks and social support systems to
improve well-being
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
References
Abdul Basith Khan M, Hashim MJ, King JK, Govender
RD, Mustafa H, Al Kaabi J. Epidemiology of Type 2
Diabetes — Global Burden of Disease and Forecasted
Trends. J Epidemiol Glob Health. 2020;10(1):107-111.
doi:10.2991/jegh.k.191028.001
Seiglie JA, Marcus ME, Ebert C, et al. Diabetes
Prevalence and Its Relationship With Education,
Wealth, and BMI in 29 Low- and Middle-Income
Countries. Diabetes Care. 2020; 43(4):767-775.
doi:10.2337/dc19-1782
World Health Organization. Diabetes. Diabetes.
November 14, 2024. Accessed December 2, 2025.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/
detail/diabetes
Aekplakorn W, Chariyalertsak S, Bumrerraj S, et al.
Diabetes trends and determinants among Thai adults
from 2004 to 2020. Sci Rep. 2025;15:31620. doi:10.1038/
s41598-025-17619-5
Cannon A, Handelsman Y, Heile M, Shannon
M. Burden of Illness in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
JMCP. 2018;24(9-a Suppl):S5-S13. doi:10.18553/
jmcp.2018.24.9-a.s5
Laiteerapong N, Karter AJ, Liu JY, et al. Correlates of
Quality of Life in Older Adults With Diabetes: The
Diabetes & Aging Study. Diabetes Care. 2011;34(8):1749-
doi:10.2337/dc10-2424
Wändell PE, Tovi J. The quality of life of elderly diabetic
patients. Journal of Diabetes and its Complications.
;14(1):25-30. doi:10.1016/S1056-8727(99)00066-5
Yildirim G, Rashidi M, Karaman F, et al. The
relationship between diabetes burden and healthrelated
quality of life in elderly people with
diabetes. Primary Care Diabetes. 2023;17(6):595-599.
doi:10.1016/j.pcd.2023.08.007
Wróblewska Z, Chmielewski JP, Wojciechowska M,
et al. Evaluation of the quality of life of older people
with diabetes. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2023;30(3):505-
doi:10.26444/aaem/168415
Nguyen HV, Tran TT, Nguyen CT, et al. Impact of
Comorbid Chronic Conditions to Quality of Life
among Elderly Patients with Diabetes Mellitus
in Vietnam. International Journal of Environmental
Research and Public Health. 2019;16(4):531. doi:10.3390/
ijerph16040531
Lima LR de, Funghetto SS, Volpe CRG, Santos WS,
Funez MI, Stival MM. Quality of life and time since
diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus among the elderly. Rev
bras geriatrgerontol. 2018;21:176-185. doi:https://doi.
org/10.1590/1981-22562018021.170187
Sayyed Kassem L, Aron DC. The assessment and
management of quality of life of older adults with
diabetes mellitus. Expert Review of Endocrinology &
Metabolism. 2020;15(2):71-81. doi:10.1080/17446651.20
1737520
Mihevc M, Virtič Potočnik T, Zavrnik Č, Šter MP,
Klemenc-Ketiš Z, PoplasSusič A. Beyond diagnosis:
Investigating factors influencing health-related
quality of life in older people with type 2 diabetes in
Slovenia. Primary Care Diabetes. 2024;18(2):157-162.
doi:10.1016/j.pcd.2024.01.010
Sukontamarn P, Asadullah MN, Photphisutthiphong
N, Nguyen YTH. Happiness in Old Age: The Daughter
Connection. J Happiness Stud. 2023;24(5):1729-1757.
doi:10.1007/s10902-023-00655-1
Phetsitong R, Vapattanawong P, Sunpuwan M,
Völker M. State of household need for caregivers
and determinants of psychological burden among
caregivers of older people in Thailand: An analysis
from national surveys on older persons. PLoS
One. 2019;14(12):e0226330. doi:10.1371/journal.
pone.0226330
Wongboonsin P, Tan J pei. Care Relations in Southeast
Asia: The Family and Beyond. BRILL; 2018.
Şahin DS, Özer Ö, Yanardağ MZ. Perceived social
support, quality of life and satisfaction with life in
elderly people. Educational Gerontology. 2019;45(1):
-77. doi:10.1080/03601277.2019.1585065
Jeenmuang K, Kaewsawas S, Thanapop C, Thanapop
S. Social Support, Active Ageing Perception and
Practices among Educational Staff in the Primary
Educational Service, Nakhon-Si-Thammarat Province,
Southern Thailand. Social Sciences. 2023;12(9):486.
doi:10.3390/socsci12090486
Silverstein MD, ed. Aging Families in Chinese Society.
Routledge; 2021. doi:10.4324/9781003015529
Techasuwanna R, Chottanapund S, Chamroonsawasdi
K, Sornpaisarn B, Tunyasitthisundhorn P. Risk factors
for type 2 diabetes mellitus in Thai population. Disease
Control Journal. 2020;46(3):268-279. doi:10.14456/
dcj.2020.26
Thongduang K, Boonchieng W, Chautrakarn S, Ong-
Artborirak P. The Influence of Family Caregiver
Knowledge and Behavior on Elderly Diabetic Patients’
Quality of Life in Northern Thailand. International
Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
;19(16):10216. doi:10.3390/ijerph191610216
Qi X, Xu J, Chen G, et al. Self-management behavior
and fasting plasma glucose control in patients with
type 2 diabetes mellitus over 60 years old: multiple
effects of social support on quality of life. Health Qual
Life Outcomes. 2021;19(1):254. doi:10.1186/s12955-021-
-y
Zan H, Meng Z, Li J, Zhang X, Liu T. Factors associated
with quality of life among elderly patients with type
diabetes mellitus: the role of family caregivers.
BMC Public Health. 2024;24(1):539. doi:10.1186/s12889-
-17917-z
Komaratat C, Auemaneekul N, Kittipichai W.
Quality of life for type II diabetes mellitus patients
in a suburban tertiary hospital in Thailand. Journal of
Health Research. 2020;35(1):3-14. doi:10.1108/JHR-05-
-0100
Namvicha K, Sujayanont P, Kwuansawat T,
Nithikathkul C. Exercise behavior and quality of life
of the elderly in Northeastern, Thailand. Edelweiss
Applied Science and Technology. 2025;9(3):905-913.
doi:10.55214/25768484.v9i3.5380
Gündoğdu NA, Tosun AS, Balcı Ş. Quality of Life
and Factors Affecting it in Elderly Individuals with
Type 2 Diabetes. Turk J Diab Obes. 2022;6(2):104-112.
doi:10.25048/tudod.1129549
Girma M, Wodajo S, Ademe S, Edmealem A, W/silasie
M, Mesafint G.
Health-Related Quality of Life
and Associated Factors Among Type Two Diabetic
Patients on Follow-Up in Dessie Comprehensive
Specialized Hospital, Dessie, North East Ethiopia,
. DMSO. 2020;13:4529-4541. doi:10.2147/
DMSO.S279306