Skip to main content
. 2023 Nov 16;7:e49817. doi: 10.2196/49817

Table 3.

Dimensions and items of the Diabetes-39 instrument for older people with diabetes mellitus (DM) treated at the Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto geriatrics service between 2020 and 2022, Belem, Pará, Brazil (N=54).

Diabetes-39 instrument Mean (SD) P value z score
By dimensions

Energy and mobility 3.53 (1.71) .005 2.93

Diabetes control 3.60 (1.81) <.001 2.94

Anxiety and worry 3.96 (1.82) <.001 4.52

Social overload 2.97 (1.76) <.001 2.36

Sexual functioning 2.91 (2.11) <.001 2.38
By items

1. Daily use of medication 3.44 (2.10) <.001 3.38

2. Concern about financial issues 4.55 (1.82) <.001 3.84

3. Decrease or lack of energy 3.88 (2.29) .005 4.50

4. Follow prescribed treatment 3.62 (2.42) <.001 2.96

5. Dietary restrictions 4.51 (2.24) <.001 5.65

6. Worries about your future 4.44 (2.10) <.001 3.50

7. Health problems other than DM 3.70 (2.33) <.001 3.96

8. Stress or pressure in your life 3.66 (2.48) <.001 3.53

9. Feeling of weakness 4.00 (2.40) <.001 3.88

10. How far you can walk 3.44 (2.56) <.001 3.34

11. Need for regular exercise 2.44 (2.24) <.001 2.34

12. Loss or blurring of vision 3.77 (2.08) <.001 4.46

13. Not being able to do what you want 4.62 (2.16) <.001 3.65

14. Having diabetes 4.85 (2.36) <.001 4.26

15. Losing control of sugar levels 4.81 (1.94) <.001 4.07

16. Diseases other than diabetes 3.62 (2.35) <.001 4.61

17. Having to test sugar levels 3.25 (2.37) <.001 2.38

18. Time needed for control 3.37 (2.25) <.001 3.65

19. Diabetes restrictions on family and friends 3.77 (2.29) <.001 2.42

20. Embarrassment for having diabetes 2.85 (2.17) <.001 2.00

21. Diabetes interfering with your sex life 3.22 (2.42) <.001 1.11

22. Feeling of sadness or depression 3.22 (2.43) <.001 2.61

23. Problems with sexual function 2.70 (2.31) <.001 1.00

24. Try to keep diabetes under control 3.29 (2.23) <.001 3.27

25. Complications due to your diabetes 4.62 (1.88) <.001 4.03

26. Doing things that family and friends don’t do 3.33 (2.23) <.001 2.11

27. Keep track of sugar levels 1.92 (1.81) <.001 1.30

28. Need to eat at regular intervals 2.59 (1.88) <.001 2.57

29. Not being able to do household activities 3.77 (2.54) <.001 2.84

30. Decreased interest in sex 2.81 (2.11) <.001 1.88

31. Having an organized routine for diabetes 3.00 (2.28) <.001 2.57

32. Need to rest several times a day 3.25 (2.36) <.001 4.11

33. Difficulties in climbing stairs 3.88 (2.50) <.001 3.77

34. Difficulties in taking care of yourself 1.62 (1.71) <.001 1.88

35. Agitated sleep 3.25 (2.28) <.001 3.92

36. Walking slower than others 3.11 (2.30) <.001 3.57

37. Being called diabetic 1.88 (1.76) <.001 1.00

38. Having diabetes interfere in your family life 3.03 (2.27) <.001 1.23

39. Diabetes in general 4.66 (2.03) <.001 5.57