BACKGROUND: Evidence regarding the association between family support and treatment adherence among older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains limited. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between perceived family support and treatment adherence among older adults with T2D. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 233 older adults with T2D from an endocrinology outpatient clinic in southern Turkey. Data were collected using a personal information form, Hensarling's Diabetes Family Support Scale (HDFSS), and the Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treatment Patient Compliance Scale. RESULTS: Older adults with T2D reported moderate-to-high levels of perceived family support, alongside moderate overall patient compliance. Some participants reported T2D-related complications as well as a history of hospitalization. Regression analysis indicated that the model accounted for a substantial proportion of the variance in patient adherence. While total HDFSS was not significantly associated with compliance, the encouragement subscale showed a positive association, whereas the facilitative support subscale showed a negative association with patient compliance. DISCUSSION: The results highlighted that facilitative support was associated with better treatment adherence among older adults, suggesting the importance of considering patient- and family-centered approaches in diabetes care. Encouraging initiatives, when carried out entirely under family control, appeared to be linked to lower self-management skills among older adults.
Kalav et al. (Wed,) studied this question.