Social Participation Benefit in Elderly Patients With Diabetes: A Scoping Review

Aims: To conduct a scoping review on the proportion of social participation in elderly patients with diabetes and related factors to clarify what is known and what needs to be addressed in the future. Methods: Literature searches were conducted using MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL, CiNii, and Ichu-shi. Articles that surveyed social participation in elderly patients with diabetes were included. Social participation was defined as participation in community activities/groups (exercise, sports, hobbies, volunteer activities, neighborhood associations, senior citizens associations, and political and religious organizations). Results: The mean age of the subjects was 67 years, and 42% were women. The percentage of social participation was 13%–36%. Moreover, factors contributing to social participation included self-management of treatment, lifestyle, mobility, subjective assessment of health, and quality of life. Conclusion: This study showed the percentage of social participation in elderly patients with diabetes and related factors. Further study is required to evaluate the causal relationship, the mechanism between social participation and contributing factors, the relationship between social participation and other outcomes, and several stratified analyses in elderly patients with diabetes.