Relationship Between Nutritional Status, Hand Grip Strength, and Fatigue in Hospitalized Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus (DM)is increasing among the elderly population in Taiwan, and fatigue is a common troublesome symptom that likely impacts their quality of life and diabetes self-management. Malnutrition is one of the causes of fatigue symptoms in the elderly, and the worse the nutritional status, the worse the hand grip strength performance; the better the grip strength performance, the lower the degree of fatigue symptoms. It can be inferred that the worse the nutritional status, the worse the handgrip strength, which will in turn have an aggravating impact on fatigue symptoms. According to previous literature, handgrip strength may be an important mediating variable between nutritional status and fatigue. However, there are still no relevant studies on hospitalized older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Therefore, the purposes of this study are to: (1) understand the basic attributes, nutritional status, handgrip strength and fatigue symptoms in hospitalized older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. (2) explore the correlation between nutritional status, handgrip strength and fatigue symptoms in hospitalized older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus, so as to serve as a reference for future clinical care to improve fatigue in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

This study adopted a cross-sectional, correlational design, using structured questionnaires and a Camry Digital Handgrip Dynamometer to collect data. Participants will be recruited from a metabolism & endocrinology ward at a medical center in northern Taiwan using purposive sampling. The Chinese version of a structured questionnaire, including the demographic and clinical characteristic form, the Mini Nutritional Assessment , and the Fatigue Symptom Inventory will be used. A sample of 54 participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus will be recruited.