Coping, Social Support, and Depressive Symptoms of Older Adults with Type II Diabetes Mellitus

This study examined the effects of coping and social support on the adaptation to Type II diabetes mellitus of elderly Chinese patients. The age of the subjects (N=200) ranged from 60 to 92 years (mean = 70.96, SD=5.84). The duration of illness since its first detection ranged from half a year to 36 years (mean = 9.14, SD=6.95). Data were collected in face-to-face interviews with a structured questionnaire. The results indicated that the patients did not perceive diabetes as severely threatening to their daily activities. Compared with a normal sample of elderly people, these diabetic elderly patients did not exhibit a higher level of depressive symptoms as measured by GDS-15.Concealment of feelings was most significantly associated with depressive symptoms. General social support appeared to be more beneficial than diabetic-specific support. Support from friends played a more significant role in the adaptation to diabetes mellitus than support from family network.