Abstract: Objective To investigate the status of self-perceived burden in the elderly patients with diabetes mellitus and frailty,and to analyze the influencing factors. Methods A total of 110 elderly patients with diabetes and fraity who were hospitalized in Department of Endocrinology of Wuxi People's Hospital from March 2020 to March 2021 were enrolled. The patients were surveyed by the general information questionnaire, the Chinese version of Tilburg Frailty Inventory (TFI), Self-Feeling Burden Scale (SPBS), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), and the Chinese version of Diabetes Self-Management Behavior Scale (SDSCA). Results A total of 88 elderly patients with diabetes mellitus and frailty presented with self-perceived burden, accounting for 80%, with an average score of 30.22±7.00. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the total burden, physical burden, emotional burden were positively associated with frailty, and negatively correlated with the scores of PSSS and SDSCA (P<0.05). Multiple linear regression showed that medical payment mode, degree of frailty and perceived social support were the influencing factors of self-perceived burden (P<0.05). Conclusions The self-perceived burden of the elderly patients with diabetes mellitus and frailty is at a moderate level. It is suggested that medical staff should formulate appropriate comprehensive intervention measures based on the degree of frailty, medical security of patients and perceived social support, so as to reduce the self-perceived burden of patients and improve the quality of life.

Key words: aged, diabetes, frailty, self-perceived burden, influencing factor