The effect of fear of finger pricking and insulin injection on the burden of diabetes in individuals with Type 2 diabetes aged 65 and over

Aim: The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of fear of finger pricking and insulin injection on the burden of diabetes in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes aged 65 and over. Material and method: The population of this descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study consisted of diabetic patients aged 65 and over who received services at the Internal Medicine Clinic of Gümüşhane State Hospital. The sample consisted of those who met the inclusion criteria (having been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes for at least 6 months, receiving insulin injection treatment, having no verbal communication disability (hearing and speech), having no diagnosed psychiatric disorder, having no cognitive problems, and agreeing to participate in the study). The data were collected with the face-to-face interview method by using the Patient Introduction Form, the Diabetes Burden Scale in the Elderly, and the Fear of Self-Injection and Testing in Diabetics Questionnaire Form. The data were evaluated with descriptive and inferential statistical analyses by using the SPSS 27 package program. Results: The average score of the patients on the Diabetes Burden Scale in the Elderly (DBSE) was found to be 70.92 ± 12.33, and the average score for fear of self-injection and testing was 13.35 ± 9.48. It was also found that the fear of self-injection of insulin was higher in female participants, those whose income was less than their expenses, those who did not use their medications regularly, and those who did not go for regular check-ups (p<0.05). Also, there was a positive relationship between DBSE and fear of self-injection and testing (p<0.05). It was found that fear of self-injection and testing was a significant predictor of diabetes burden and explained 21% of the total variance. Conclusion: In the present study, it was concluded that the burden of diabetes was high in elderly diabetic patients and the fear of self-injection and testing was low and as the fear of self-injection and testing increased, the burden of diabetes also increased.