Associations of self-management behaviors, depressive symptoms, and glycemic control on cognitive function in rural elderly with type 2 diabetes - Summary - MDSpire

Associations of self-management behaviors, depressive symptoms, and glycemic control on cognitive function in rural elderly with type 2 diabetes

  • By

  • Yuting Wang

  • Yating Qi

  • Zhixin An

  • Miaomiao Zhao

  • Yaqin Zhong

  • Youjia Wu

  • Qunhong Wu

  • Yuexia Gao

  • March 31, 2026

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To explore the effects of changes in self-management behaviors, depressive symptoms, and glycemic control on mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among rural older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Key Findings:
  • 37.07% of participants had MCI at follow-up.
  • Improved self-management behaviors significantly predicted better glycemic control (β = 0.233, P < 0.01).
  • Better self-management (increased Δ SDSCA score), less depressive symptoms (decreased Δ CESD-10 score), and better glycemic control were associated with lower risks of MCI.
  • Glycemic control partially mediated the relationship between self-management and MCI incidence.
Interpretation:

Enhancing self-management behaviors and managing depressive symptoms may improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of MCI in older adults with T2DM.

Limitations:
  • The study is limited to a rural Chinese population, which may affect generalizability.
  • Potential confounding factors not accounted for in the analysis.
Conclusion:

Improving self-management behaviors and alleviating depressive symptoms can contribute to better cognitive outcomes in older adults with T2DM.

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