Exercise Adherence and Compliance and Its Related Factors Among Elderly Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in China: A Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE: To explore exercise adherence and compliance as well as its related factors among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to provide a basis for clinical intervention strategies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The present study was a cross-sectional study of 205 elderly patients with T2DM who regularly visited a Shanghai community health center from August 2020 to July 2021. Exercise adherence and compliance was measured using an exercise adherence and compliance questionnaire, and potential correlates were explored using multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean total score of the exercise adherence and compliance questionnaire was 16.72±5.08. The stepwise regression results revealed that exercise adherence and compliance was positively correlated with self-monitoring (F=3.510, P=0.005), exercise knowledge (r=0.784, P<0.001), exercise willingness (r=0.556, P<0.001), professional support (r=0.426, P<0.001), and self-efficiency (r=0.5, P<0.001). There was a negative correlation between hypoglycemia and exercise adherence and compliance (F=−3.672, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Low exercise adherence and compliance was related to low glucose self-monitoring frequency, increased hypoglycemia, less exercise knowledge, less exercise willingness, less professional support, and less self-efficiency. When developing exercise instructions adapted to the cognitive and volitional needs of diabetic patients, it is essential to focus on their daily self-management habits and extrinsic motivation to improve exercise adherence and compliance.