A survey of social network status and its related factors for older adults with type 2 diabetes in Beijing, China.
Kailian Yang, Yu Liu, Xing Yin and 4 others
PMID 34850591WHAT IT FOUND
The average social network score was 16.75 of 30 among 300 older adults with type 2 diabetes in Beijing, and 68 had social isolation.
Higher social support was the factor most linked with larger networks.
Key findings
01The average social network score was 16.75 on a 0 to 30 scale, and 68 participants scored below 12, indicating social isolation.
02In the final statistical model, higher social support was the strongest associated factor; adding it increased the proportion of score differences the model could account for from 0.245 to 0.540.
03Living with family, having general self-rated health, paying for medical insurance, and not smoking were associated with lower social network scores.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that social support, living arrangement, smoking, or medical payment causes a higher or lower social network level. Participants were recruited by convenience sampling from three hospitals and five communities in Beijing, so the results may not apply to older adults with type 2 diabetes in other regions or settings. People with severe heart, liver, kidney, respiratory disease, cancer, language barriers, or inability to complete the questionnaire were excluded, so the sample may not represent frailer patients. All measures were self-reported, and some questionnaires were read to participants, which may affect responses. No intervention was tested, so the paper cannot support claims that changing social network or social support improves diabetes outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest or financial or other contractual agreements. The publication types note non-U.S. government research support, but the article text does not name a specific funder.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that smoking, living alone, or higher social support improves diabetes outcomes. These were cross-sectional associations, and the study did not test whether changing them improves health.