Correlates of glycemic control and quality of life outcomes in adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Humanistic burden of pediatric type 1 diabetes on children and informal caregivers: systematic literature reviews

BACKGROUND

Diagnosis of children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) imposes an unprecedented burden on children and their caregivers.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the burden of T1D on children and their informal caregivers, both after a recent diagnosis or after a longer duration of disease.

METHODS

A series of systematic literature reviews were performed to explore the burden of T1D on children with the disease and their primary informal caregivers, based on the time of diagnosis. After the extraction of the qualitative and quantitative data from the included studies, two literature-based conceptual frameworks were developed: on the burden of pediatric T1D on children, and on informal caregivers. A third conceptual framework on the shared burden of pediatric T1D on both children and informal caregivers as part of the same family unit was also developed.

RESULTS

The review of literature has identified a series of factors that affect the quality of life of children with T1D and their informal caregivers, with a direct impact on physical, emotional, and social outcomes. Generally, female patients and older adolescents experience more worry and stress that affects their quality of life. Other categories of factors affecting the child's and caregiver's burden include social, emotional, and physical factors, treatment-related and disease-related factors, as well as their coping abilities. Anxiety, depression, stress, and worry were commonly found among children and caregivers, starting with the diagnosis of T1D and continuing over time in relation to new challenges pertaining to aging or the disease duration.

CONCLUSION

T1D causes a significant burden to affected children and their caregivers, both independently and through transactional interaction within the family unit. Disease burden can be reduced by strengthening individuals for the benefit of the whole family.

Associations of Diabetes-related and Health-related Quality of Life With Glycemic Levels in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Preparing to Transition to Adult Care

OBJECTIVES

As adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) progress to adulthood, they assume responsibility for diabetes self-management while dealing with competing life demands, decreasing parental support, and the transfer to adult care. Lower perceived quality of life (QOL) may hamper diabetes management, which is associated with suboptimal glycemic levels. Our objective was to determine associations of diabetes- and health-related QOL with glycemic management (glycated hemoglobin [A1C]) in adolescents with T1D before their transfer to adult care.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Group Education Trial to Improve Transition (GET-IT- T1D) in adolescents with T1D (16 to 17 years of age). Participants completed validated questionnaires measuring diabetes-related QOL (PedsQL 3.2 Diabetes Module) and health-related QOL (PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales). Associations of QOL Total and subscale scores with A1C were assessed using linear regression models adjusted for sex, diabetes duration, socioeconomic status, insulin pump use, and mental health comorbidity.

RESULTS

One hundred fifty-three adolescents with T1D were included (mean age, 16.5 [standard deviation, 0.3] years). Diabetes-related QOL Total scores (adjusted β=-0.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.05 to -0.02) as well as subscale scores for Diabetes Symptoms (adjusted β=-0.02; 95% CI, -0.04 to -0.00) and Diabetes Management (adjusted β=-0.04; 95% CI, -0.05 to -0.02) were inversely associated with A1C. Health-related QOL Total scores were not associated with A1C, but Psychosocial Health subscale scores were (adjusted β=-0.01; 95% CI, -0.03 to -0.00).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that strategies focussing on diabetes-related QOL and psychosocial health may help prepare adolescents for the increasing responsibility of diabetes self-care.

Daily diabetes-specific family conflict, problems, and blood glucose during adolescence

Diabetes-related family conflict is widely regarded as a risk factor for diabetes outcomes, yet it has not been examined on a daily basis. Parental acceptance may attenuate the degree to which family conflict is associated with diabetes outcomes. The present study examined (a) within- and between-person fluctuations in diabetes problems and family conflict, (b) within- and between-person links between conflict and blood glucose (BG) mean, and (c) whether parental acceptance moderated these associations. One hundred eighty adolescents (Mage = 12.92 years) with T1D completed a 14-day diary measuring diabetes problems, conflict with mother, conflict with father, and parental acceptance at the end of each day. Daily average BG values were calculated from glucometer readings. Higher diabetes problems on average across the 14-day diary were associated with more average conflict with mothers (between-person), but daily fluctuations in the number of diabetes problems were not related to daily conflict (within-person). Adolescents with higher conflict with mothers and fathers on average across the 14 days had higher BG means (between-person); however, on days when adolescents reported higher conflict, they had greater risk for low BG (within-person). Daily parental acceptance did not moderate associations between problems and conflict nor conflict and BG mean. This study was the first to examine daily diabetes-specific conflict with mothers and fathers during adolescence. The number of diabetes problems did not predict daily conflict. Fluctuations in daily conflict were associated with greater risk for low BG, underscoring the need for future research examining in-the-moment relations among conflict and BG extremes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The relationship between well-being and HbA1c in adults with type 1 diabetes: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Diabetes has been associated with psychological problems, which in turn have been related to poorer glycemic control (glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c]). On the contrary, psychological well-being constructs have been associated with superior medical outcomes, including better HbA1c.

AIM

The main objective of this study was to systematically review the existing literature about the relationships between subjective well-being (SWB) and HbA1c in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

METHODS

Comprehensive searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Medline, time restricted to 2021, for studies examining the link between HbA1c and the cognitive (CWB) and affective (AWB) components of SWB. A total of 16 eligible studies were selected according to the inclusion criteria, of which 15 measured CWB and 1 AWB.

RESULTS

Of the 15 studies included, 11 showed a relationship between CWB and HbA1c, with a higher level of HbA1c being related to poorer CWB. The other four studies did not find any significant association. Finally, the only study examining the relationship between AWB and HbA1c found a marginally association between these variables in the expected direction.

CONCLUSION

The overall data suggest that CWB is negatively related to HbA1c in this population, but these results are inconclusive. This systematic review offers clinical implications, such as the possible evaluation, prevention, and treatment of the problems associated with diabetes through the study and training of the psychosocial variables that may directly influence SWB. Limitations and future lines of investigation are discussed.

Systematic Review: Diabetes Family Conflict in Young People With Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationships between diabetes-specific family conflict and health outcomes of young people with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

METHODS

A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA statement (registration number: CRD42020164988). PubMed, Embase, PsycNET, reference lists of included studies, and other relevant reviews were searched (1990-2020). Two independent reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and full-texts. Studies were included if they sampled young people with T1D (mean age between 14 and 25 years) and examined the relationship between diabetes-specific family conflict and the following outcomes: glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), treatment adherence, blood glucose monitoring, depression, anxiety, quality of life, and/or well-being.

RESULTS

A total of 20 studies met the predetermined inclusion criteria. Greater diabetes-specific family conflict was significantly related to higher HbA1c values in 17 studies. Seven studies reported a significant association between greater diabetes family conflict and suboptimal treatment adherence and/or less frequent blood glucose monitoring. However, significant relationships between conflict and HbA1c and/or treatment adherence were not found in four studies. Seven studies in total reported that greater diabetes family conflict was significantly related to poorer quality of life or well-being and greater depressive and/or anxiety symptoms in young people.

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetes-specific family conflict is associated with some adverse health outcomes for young people with T1D. However, more longitudinal studies of young people aged older than 16 years are needed. Screening for and addressing diabetes-specific family conflict is recommended, given the growing number of studies linking family conflict to various adverse health outcomes in young people with T1D.

Quality of Life and Glycemic Control in Saudi Children with Type 1 Diabetes at Different Developmental Age Groups

Background:

Children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at different stages of development have age-specific needs, which can influence their perception of quality of life (QoL). In our study, we aimed to emphasize these age-specific needs and assess the perception of QoL in Saudi children with T1D, as well as their parents correlating QoL scores with children’s glycemic control.

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study in which children with T1D and their parents from 2 tertiary institutes in Saudi Arabia have answered a standard diabetes-specific QoL questionnaire (PedsQL™ 3.0 diabetes module, translated in Arabic). We also reported glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) results for these children within a month of completing the questionnaire. The QoL total aggregate and domain scores for self (children) and proxy (parents’) reports were compared and correlated with children’s HbA1c.

Results:

A sample was 288 self and proxy reports from 144 children with T1D of 3 age groups: 5 to 7 years (7%), 8 to 12 years (49%), and 13 to 18 years (44%), and their parents. QoL differed significantly between self and proxy reports in the total aggregate and domain scores (P-values range from .02 to <.001). The impact on QoL was significantly higher in female patients (P = .043). Insulin pump users had better HbA1c (P = .007), and HbA1c level was worse in those who intended to fast at Ramadan (P = .005).

Conclusion:

Children with T1D at different developmental age groups perceive QoL differently than their parents. Adjusting management as per age-specific challenges could potentially improve these children’s QoL and glycemic control.

Self-Perceived Health Status and Sense of Coherence in Children With Type 1 Diabetes in the West Bank, Palestine

Introduction: Self-perceived health status and sense of coherence (SOC) are essential constructs for capturing health outcomes in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D). This study measured self-perceived health status and SOC in children with T1D and compared them with a healthy reference group in West Bank, Palestine. Methodology: One hundred children with T1D aged 8 to 18 years and 300 healthy children completed PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales and SOC-13 in a cross-sectional descriptive study. Results: All children reported acceptable self-perceived health status and low degree of SOC. In the diabetes group, high degree of SOC was associated with better self-perceived health status and more optimal metabolic control. Males in the diabetes group reported higher self-perceived health status than females. Discussion: The unstable political situation in Palestine may threaten SOC in children in general. Health professionals can monitor self-perceived health status and SOC to evaluate interventions aiming to improve glycemic control.

Health-related quality of life of adolescents with type 1 diabetes in the context of resilience

BACKGROUND

Adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) can be faced with deterioration in glycemic control (GC), reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and other psychosocial problems. It is important to understand how the disease and its clinical conditions influence HRQoL and how adolescents are able to overcome the life adjustment difficulties.

OBJECTIVE

To assess HRQoL of adolescents with T1D from demographic, clinical, personal, and behavioral point of view.

SUBJECTS

A total of 229 adolescents with T1D (51.2% males) with a mean age of 15.35 (2.29) years old were recruited from three diabetes centers. The mean diabetes duration was 7.48 (3.87), the mean hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) level was 10.3 (1.76) mmol/L.

METHODS

A multicenter quantitative correlational design study was applied to investigate the influence of sex, age, diabetes duration, GC expressed by HbA1c, intensive insulin regimen, physical activity (PA), resilience (RS), and socioeconomic background on HRQoL.

RESULTS

Presence of the diabetes symptoms and worry about the disease has negative impact on the patients' HRQoL. Stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that insulin pump therapy, male sex, and higher level of RS were significantly related to an increase in HRQoL, whereas the higher level of PA, male sex, and better HRQoL was significantly related to positive change in RS. Patients treated with insulin pump therapy had significantly better HRQoL.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant association can be observed between HRQoL and RS. Supposedly, higher level of PA promotes higher level of RS that in turn helps increase HRQoL in adolescents with T1D. Treatment with insulin pump therapy also promotes better HRQoL.

Codesigned Shared Decision-Making Diabetes Management Plan Tool for Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and Their Parents: Prototype Development and Pilot Test

BACKGROUND

Adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus have difficulty achieving optimal glycemic control, partly due to competing priorities that interfere with diabetes self-care. Often, significant diabetes-related family conflict occurs, and adolescents' thoughts and feelings about diabetes management may be disregarded. Patient-centered diabetes outcomes may be better when adolescents feel engaged in the decision-making process.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of our study was to codesign a clinic intervention using shared decision making for addressing diabetes self-care with an adolescent patient and parent advisory board.

METHODS

The patient and parent advisory board consisted of 6 adolescents (teens) between the ages 12 and 18 years with type 1 diabetes mellitus and their parents recruited through our institution's Pediatric Diabetes Program. Teens and parents provided informed consent and participated in 1 or both of 2 patient and parent advisory board sessions, lasting 3 to 4 hours each. Session 1 topics were (1) patient-centered outcomes related to quality of life, parent-teen shared diabetes management, and shared family experiences; and (2) implementation and acceptability of a patient-centered diabetes care plan intervention where shared decision making was used. We analyzed audio recordings, notes, and other materials to identify and extract ideas relevant to the development of a patient-centered diabetes management plan. These data were visually coded into similar themes. We used the information to develop a prototype for a diabetes management plan tool that we pilot tested during session 2.

RESULTS

Session 1 identified 6 principal patient-centered quality-of-life measurement domains: stress, fear and worry, mealtime struggles, assumptions and judgments, feeling abnormal, and conflict. We determined 2 objectives to be principally important for a diabetes management plan intervention: (1) focusing the intervention on diabetes distress and conflict resolution strategies, and (2) working toward a verbalized common goal. In session 2, we created the diabetes management plan tool according to these findings and will use it in a clinical trial with the aim of assisting with patient-centered goal setting.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus can be effectively engaged and involved in patient-centered research design. Teens with type 1 diabetes mellitus prioritize reducing family conflict and fitting into their social milieu over health outcomes at this time in their lives. It is important to acknowledge this when designing interventions to improve health outcomes in teens with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Quality of life related to health of adolescents with dm1: an integrative review

This study aimed to analyze the scientific literature on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus. This is an integrative review whose inclusion criteria were full-text papers available online in Portuguese, English and Spanish; published and indexed in databases Lilacs, Medline, Adolec, BDENF, in the period 2003-2013 that reflected the theme HRQOL, Type 1 diabetes and adolescents. Twenty-two papers were analyzed, from which the following themes were retrieved: development and validation of tools to measure the HRQOL of diabetic adolescents; HRQOL of adolescents with diabetes; factors affecting the quality of life of adolescents with diabetes and resources used to assist adolescents in diabetes management. The HRQOL of adolescents with diabetes has been a widely studied and disseminated topic in international literature, but has poorly echoed in Brazil. Studies published in international journals in English predominated. Thus, we emphasize the importance of conducting research of this nature in Brazil, since the measurement of HRQOL of diabetic adolescents may help the multidisciplinary team in care planning.

Do Adolescents with T1DM Differ from Their Peers in Health, Eating Habits and Social Support?

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to analyse differences in health, eating habits and social support in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in comparison to peers with another long-term illness or without any medical condition.

METHODS

We used self-reported data from the cross-sectional Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study collected in 2014 among Slovak adolescents as well as data from adolescents with T1DM collected in outpatient settings (11 to 15 years old, N=8,910, 50.3% of boys). Logistic regression models and general linear models were used to analyse differences between adolescents with T1DM and their peers with and without long-term illness in self-rated health, life satisfaction, health complaints, regular breakfast, sweets and soft drink consumption, and perceived support from family, teachers and classmates.

RESULTS

Adolescents with T1DM reported worse self-rated health and suffer from more health complaints, but they have lower chance of having breakfast irregularly in comparison to their peers with another long-term illness or without any medical condition. Moreover, compared with their peers, adolescents with T1DM perceived stronger support from teachers and classmates, but weaker support from their family. We did not confirm any differences in life satisfaction, sweets and soft drink consumption between adolescents with T1DM and their peers.

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescents with T1DM reported more regular eating habits, no difference in life satisfaction and more social support outside the family in comparison to their peers. However, their worse self-rated health, more health complaints and weaker support from family should be considered in interventions targeting psychosocial adjustment of adolescents with T1DM.

Insulin regimens, diabetes knowledge, quality of life, and HbA1c in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

OBJECTIVES

To further describe the changes in insulin therapy regimens and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, and their associations with diabetes knowledge and quality of life.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The study included 4293 children and adolescents (12.9 ± 2.6 yr, diabetes >1 yr) attending AJD (Aide aux Jeunes Diabétiques) summer camps between 2009 and 2014. The distribution of insulin regimens and associations between HbA1c, therapeutic regimens, diabetes knowledge (AJD questionnaire), and Quality of Life (Ingersoll et Marrero, Hvidoere Study Group short version) were assessed.

RESULTS

The percentage of youth treated with insulin pumps increased up to about 45%, basal bolus stabilized around 40%, and other regimens decreased majorly. HbA1c was higher with premixed insulins only regimens (9.05 ± 2.43%), but there was no difference between pump (8.12 ± 1.09%), basal bolus (8.32 ± 1.33%) and two to three injections (8.18 ± 1.28%). Mean HbA1c decreased by 0.014% per year. The percentage of HbA1c <7.5% increased by 1.5% per year, and the percentages of HbA1c >9% or >10% decreased by 4 and 5.5%, changes being greater with the pump. HbA1c was weakly associated with diabetes knowledge, and strongly with general health perception and perception about diabetes.

CONCLUSION

The percentage of children and adolescents with the highest risk of complications decreased markedly. The distribution of HbA1c better depicts the glycemic control in a population than the mean or the percentage of patients reaching the target (7.5%). HbA1c was more strongly associated with general health perception than with therapeutic regimens and diabetes knowledge.

Assessment of health-related quality of life in Egyptian adolescents with type 1 diabetes: DEMPU survey

BACKGROUND

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a serious chronic illness that imposes significant morbidity and mortality with a major impact on the quality of life (QoL) that became a core issue in diabetes care. Understanding the effect of diabetes on QoL is important for day-to-day clinical management and also for public health policy initiatives aiming at improving health outcomes for those with diabetes. The objective of the study was to assess the QoL in adolescents with T1D and assess the applicability of the use of the "Quality of Life for Youth" questionnaire at the Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolism Pediatric Unit (DEMPU) clinic.

METHODS

One hundred and fifty adolescents (82 males and 68 females) (10-18 years), with T1D of at least 1 years' duration, completed the questionnaire that evaluated symptoms related to diabetes, treatment, activities, parent issues, worries about diabetes and health perception. Higher scores indicated a more negative impact of diabetes and poorer QoL.

RESULTS

Males showed a significantly better mean QoL score than females (p=0.004). Different age groups showed different QoL scores (p=0.047). Urban adolescents had a better QoL than rural counterparts (p=0.02). Adolescents with poor QoL had generally lower educational level (p=0.02). Better metabolic control was associated with a better QoL (p=0.01). However, duration of diabetes and body mass index (BMI) had no statistically significant effect on QoL.

CONCLUSIONS

QoL had a variable significant association with certain socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of diabetics (sex, residence, educational level as well as metabolic control).

Symptoms of depression and anxiety in youth with type 1 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The interaction between psychosocial factors and type 1 diabetes is complex and screening for psychosocial risk factors from diagnosis of type 1 diabetes has been recommended. This is a systematic review and meta-analysis to address the following questions: (1) How prevalent are symptoms of depression and anxiety in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes? (2) Is there an association of symptoms of depression and anxiety with diabetes management and glycemic control?

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO in April 2014 with an update in May 2015. When possible, data were pooled to estimate summary effects.

RESULTS

14 studies investigated symptoms of depression and anxiety in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. The pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms was 30.04%, 95% CI [16.33; 43.74]. There were correlations between symptom levels and glycemic control as well as three-way interactions between HbA1c, blood glucose monitoring frequency or diabetes-specific stress and depression. Symptoms of anxiety were reported for up to 32% of patients. A negative impact on glycemic control was demonstrated.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analyses confirmed a high prevalence of symptoms of depression and anxiety in youth with type 1 diabetes that potentially compromise diabetes management and glycemic control. In our opinion these findings support recommendations for early screening for psychological comorbidity and regular psychosocial assessment from diagnosis. Future prospective studies are warranted to further explore the interaction of symptoms of depression and anxiety with type 1 diabetes and develop evidence-based treatment models.

Quality of Life of College Students Living With Type 1 Diabetes

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the quality of life among college students living with Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Inclusion criteria included age 18 to 24, current college student, and a diagnosis of T1D for at least 1 year. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, in-person and by phone. During these interviews, college students shared stories of living with T1D and its impact on their quality of life. Three major themes emerged, which included “planning ahead,” “thinking positive,” and “seeking support.” These findings provide a better understanding of the transitional experience of living with T1D and the impact on perceived quality of life while attending college. Techniques and strategies aimed at the enhancement of perceived quality of life for college students living with T1D were identified. These findings will provide valuable insight for professionals working with this population.

Health-Related Quality of Life and Metabolic Control in Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

OBJECTIVE

The burdens imposed on a child and his/her parents by a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) adversely affect their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). HRQoL is important for prognosis and is related to metabolic control. To evaluate the HRQoL of Turkish children and adolescents with T1DM and to assess the correlation of HRQoL subscales (including physical and psychosocial health) with metabolic control, and particularly with hypo- and hyperglycaemic episodes.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 70 participants with T1DM aged between 8 and 18 years (study group) and 72 healthy controls who were matched to the study group in terms of age, gender, and sociodemographic characteristics (control group), and their parents. HRQoL was determined by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. As an indicator of metabolic control, the most recent hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were obtained and the number of hypo- and hyperglycaemic episodes over the past one month were checked.

RESULTS

The study group had similar HRQoL scores for children's self-reports and parents' proxy-reports to the control group apart from a decreasing psychosocial health score for parents' proxy-reports in the study group. Although HbA1c level was not related to HRQoL scores, lower number of hypo- and hyperglycaemic episodes were associated with an increase in psychosocial health scores and physical health scores as well as an increase in the total score for parents' proxy-reports.

CONCLUSION

Although there was no correlation between metabolic control and HRQoL in children's self-reports, the improving HRQoL levels in parents' proxy-reports were associated with good metabolic control.

Factors affecting health adaptation of Chinese adolescents with type 1 diabetes: A path model testing

Glycemic control and quality of life (QoL) are both considered indicators of health adaptation among adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The purpose of this study was to construct a path model addressing the influences of individual characteristics, school support, resilience, and self-care behaviors on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and QoL among adolescents with T1D in Taiwan. This was a cross-sectional design study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on individual characteristics, school support, resilience, self-care behaviors, and QoL. The latest HbA1c was collected from medical records. Data from 238 adolescents with T1D were analyzed using structural equation modeling to test the hypothesized path model. The findings indicated that self-care behaviors and resilience both directly influenced HbA1c and QoL. School support directly influenced QoL but indirectly influenced HbA1c. We suggest that improving self-care behaviors and resilience could be considered an appropriate intervention for enhancing the health adaptation of adolescents with T1D. Increasing school support might be a strategy to improve QoL among adolescents with T1D.

Assessing Insulin Delivery Device Satisfaction in Patients with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Over the past several decades, insulin treatment has changed drastically, not only with the development of further insulin analogs but also with the introduction of novel insulin delivery devices such as pumps and pens. In addition, adjunct devices such as continuous glucose monitors and sensor-augmented pumps have become increasingly used in clinical care, increasing the volume of information available to patients and providers. However, with the development of new devices it has become clear that along with the many benefits of these advances, the use of these devices can also present a burden to people with diabetes. For example, some patients report being overwhelmed by too much data when using continuous glucose monitors. Furthermore, there are concerns regarding the accuracy of some of these new devices, particularly for glucose monitoring. As a result, some patients may choose not to use available devices, despite the recognized benefits. Therefore, it is critical to understand how the various insulin delivery devices available currently and in the future affect patients in terms of their diabetes management and perceived burdens and to understand which patient characteristics may predict a lack of satisfaction with these devices. This critical gap in our knowledge is addressed in an article in this issue of the journal through the development of a questionnaire that allows for a better understanding of the impact of insulin delivery devices on quality of life and diabetes management among both type 1 diabetes and insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes patients. The novelty, as well as limitations, of this new instrument for the assessment of insulin delivery device satisfaction are discussed.

Diabetes-Specific Quality of Life of Korean Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to explore the quality of life of children in Korea with type 1 diabetes and related factors.

METHODS

Children were recruited from a diabetes camp. Data were collected using four instruments: the PedsQL™ 3.2 Diabetes Module, Self-Efficacy for Diabetes Self-Management, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children, and the Diabetes Management Behavior Scale.

RESULTS

Children who were older (t = 2.197, p = .041), male (t = -3.579, p = .002), and less depressed (t = -2.859, p = .010) were more likely to have better quality of life.

CONCLUSION

Further research is needed in children with type 1 diabetes in countries where this disease is rare, and governmental support and public awareness are limited.

Quality of life in intensively treated youths with early-onset type 1 diabetes: a population-based survey

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate factors associated with self-reported generic, chronic-generic, and condition-specific quality of life (QoL) impairments in intensively treated patients with early-onset and long-duration type 1 diabetes.

STUDY DESIGN

A total of 840 11- to 21-year-olds with type 1 diabetes onset before 5 years of age and at least 10 years diabetes duration completed questionnaires including the generic Revised Children's Quality of Life Questionnaire (KINDL-R), the DISABKIDS chronic-generic module (DCGM-12), and the DISABKIDS diabetes-specific module with impact and treatment scales to assess QoL. Regression analyses were conducted using sociodemographic, health-related, and diabetes-related independent variables.

RESULTS

The strongest associations were observed between QoL scores and diabetes-specific factors, especially glycemic control and treatment satisfaction. The adjusted mean differences [regression coefficients β (standard error)] between patient groups with high risk vs. optimal glycemic control were β = -4.6 (1.1) for the KINDL-R total score, β = -8.6 (1.5) for the DCGM-12, β = -14.4 (1.9) for the diabetes impact score, and β = -21.1 (2.7) for the diabetes treatment score (all p < 0.001). The mean differences between patient groups with poor vs. very good treatment satisfaction were β = -5.9 (1.3) for the KINDL-R total score, β = -8.5 (1.7) for the DCGM-12, β = -9.4 (2.0) for the diabetes impact score, and β = -15.0 (2.9) for the diabetes treatment score (all p < 0.001). In addition, recent severe hypoglycemia and an insulin regimen without an insulin pump were negatively associated with the QoL scores.

CONCLUSION

Good glycemic control and a high level of treatment satisfaction are associated with a positive QoL in youths with early-onset type 1 diabetes.

Diabetes-related quality of life and the demands and burdens of diabetes care among emerging adults with type 1 diabetes in the year after high school graduation

The roles of glycemic control, diabetes management, diabetes care responsibility, living independently of parents, and time since high school graduation in predicting diabetes-related quality of life (DQOL) were examined in 184 emerging adults with type 1 diabetes. Data were collected at graduation and 1 year later. Analyses controlling for selected covariates were completed using generalized linear mixed models. Better diabetes management was associated with more positive responses on all four dimensions of DQOL. Impact and worry of DQOL were greater in the presence of depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction was lower. DQOL life satisfaction was lower in those living independently of parents. Young women reported poorer diabetes-related health status than did young men. Time since graduation was not linked to DQOL. Further research is needed on ways to improve DQOL in conjunction with diabetes management and on ways that families can support DQOL when youth live independently.

Intensive glucose control versus conventional glucose control for type 1 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND

Clinical guidelines differ regarding their recommended blood glucose targets for patients with type 1 diabetes and recent studies on patients with type 2 diabetes suggest that aiming at very low targets can increase the risk of mortality.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of intensive versus conventional glycaemic targets in patients with type 1 diabetes in terms of long-term complications and determine whether very low, near normoglycaemic values are of additional benefit.

SEARCH METHODS

A systematic literature search was performed in the databases The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE and EMBASE. The date of the last search was December 2012 for all databases.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that had defined different glycaemic targets in the treatment arms, studied patients with type 1 diabetes, and had a follow-up duration of at least one year.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently extracted data, assessed studies for risk of bias, with differences resolved by consensus. Overall study quality was evaluated by the 'Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation' (GRADE) system. Random-effects models were used for the main analyses and the results are presented as risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for dichotomous outcomes.

MAIN RESULTS

We identified 12 trials that fulfilled the inclusion criteria, including a total of 2230 patients. The patient populations varied widely across studies with one study only including children, one study only including patients after a kidney transplant, one study with newly diagnosed adult patients, and several studies where patients had retinopathy or microalbuminuria at baseline. The mean follow-up duration across studies varied between one and 6.5 years. The majority of the studies were carried out in the 1980s and all trials took place in Europe or North America. Due to the nature of the intervention, none of the studies could be carried out in a blinded fashion so that the risk of performance bias, especially for subjective outcomes such as hypoglycaemia, was present in all of the studies. Fifty per cent of the studies were judged to have a high risk of bias in at least one other category.Under intensive glucose control, the risk of developing microvascular complications was reduced compared to conventional treatment for a) retinopathy: 23/371 (6.2%) versus 92/397 (23.2%); RR 0.27 (95% CI 0.18 to 0.42); P < 0.00001; 768 participants; 2 trials; high quality evidence; b) nephropathy: 119/732 (16.3%) versus 211/743 (28.4%); RR 0.56 (95% CI 0.46 to 0.68); P < 0.00001; 1475 participants; 3 trials; moderate quality evidence; c) neuropathy: 29/586 (4.9%) versus 86/617 (13.9%); RR 0.35 (95% CI 0.23 to 0.53); P < 0.00001; 1203 participants; 3 trials; high quality evidence. Regarding the progression of these complications after manifestation, the effect was weaker (retinopathy) or possibly not existent (nephropathy: RR 0.79 (95% CI 0.37 to 1.70); P = 0.55; 179 participants with microalbuminuria; 3 trials; very low quality evidence); no adequate data were available regarding the progression of neuropathy. For retinopathy, intensive glucose control reduced the risk of progression in studies with a follow-up duration of at least two years (85/366 (23.2%) versus 154/398 (38.7%); RR 0.61 (95% CI 0.49 to 0.76); P < 0.0001; 764 participants; 2 trials; moderate quality evidence), while we found evidence for an initial worsening of retinopathy after only one year of intensive glucose control (17/49 (34.7%) versus 7/47 (14.9%); RR 2.32 (95% CI 1.16 to 4.63); P = 0.02; 96 participants; 2 trials; low quality evidence).Major macrovascular outcomes (stroke and myocardial infarction) occurred very rarely, and no firm evidence could be established regarding these outcome measures (low quality evidence).We found that intensive glucose control increased the risk for severe hypoglycaemia, however the results were heterogeneous and only the 'Diabetes Complications Clinical Trial' (DCCT) showed a clear increase in severe hypoglycaemic episodes under intensive treatment. A subgroup analysis according to the baseline haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of participants in the trials (low quality evidence) suggests that the risk of hypoglycaemia is possibly only increased for patients who started with relatively low HbA1c values (< 9.0%). Several of the included studies also showed a greater weight gain under intensive glucose control, and the risk of ketoacidosis was only increased in studies using insulin pumps in the intensive treatment group (very low quality evidence).Overall, all-cause mortality was very low in all studies (moderate quality evidence) except in one study investigating renal allograft as treatment for end-stage diabetic nephropathy. Health-related quality of life was only reported in the DCCT trial, showing no statistically significant differences between the intervention and comparator groups (moderate quality evidence). In addition, only the DCCT published data on costs, indicating that intensive glucose therapy control was highly cost-effective considering the reduction of potential diabetes complications (moderate quality evidence).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Tight blood sugar control reduces the risk of developing microvascular diabetes complications. The evidence of benefit is mainly from studies in younger patients at early stages of the disease. Benefits need to be weighed against risks including severe hypoglycaemia, and patient training is an important aspect in practice. The effects of tight blood sugar control seem to become weaker once complications have been manifested. However, further research is needed on this issue. Furthermore, there is a lack of evidence from RCTs on the effects of tight blood sugar control in older patient populations or patients with macrovascular disease. There is no firm evidence for specific blood glucose targets and treatment goals need to be individualised taking into account age, disease progression, macrovascular risk, as well as the patient's lifestyle and disease management capabilities.

Depression and adherence to treatment in diabetic children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

Depression compromises diabetes treatment in juveniles, and this study aimed to identify influential targets most likely to improve adherence to treatment and glycemic control. Prospective observational studies investigating associations between depression and treatment adherence in juveniles with type 1 diabetes were extracted from MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Cochrane Central. Nineteen studies comprising 2,935 juveniles met our criteria. Median effect sizes between depression and treatment adherence were 0.22 (interquartile range (IQR), 0.16–0.35) by patient and 0.13 (IQR, 0.12–0.24) caregiver report. Corresponding values for depression/glycemic control were 0.16 (IQR, 0.09– 0.23) and 0.08 (IQR, 0.04–0.14), respectively. Effect sizes varied with study design, publication year and assessment tools: CES-D yielded a higher effect size than other assessment tools for depression, where associations for depression and either adherence or glycemic control was investigated. Several behaviours influenced adherence and glycemic control.

CONCLUSION

This study showed moderate associations between depression and poor treatment adherence. Targeting behaviour and social environments, however, may ultimately provide more cost-effective health gains than targeting depressive symptoms.

Emotional, behavioral and cognitive profile, and quality of life of Indian children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The psychological stress associated with type 1 diabetes (T1D) may be higher in children from developing world due to limited health resources. The aims of the study were to assess the quality of life (QoL), emotional well-being, behavioral, and cognitive profile of children/adolescents with T1D diagnosed at least 6 months prior.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-nine children with T1D, aged 6-18 years were assessed using DAWN Youth QoL questionnaire, WHO-5 Well-Being Index, Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Malin's Intelligence Scale for Indian children (MISIC). The association of the scores was studied with age, gender, socioeconomic status (SES), frequency of hypoglycemia, HbA1c, and age of onset and duration of T1D.

RESULTS

The mean (standard deviation (SD)) for DAWN QoL, WHO-5, CBCL, and MISIC scores was 24.7 (16.7), 74.6 (19.4), 52.6 (8.8), and 96.0 (11.2), respectively. The significant associations noted were: Elevated HbA1c with poorer emotional well-being; higher negative impact on 'symptoms of disease' and 'future prospects' sub-areas of QoL; shorter duration of disease with more behavioral issues; lower maternal education with more 'withdrawn/depressed' behaviors and 'worry about future prospects'; and lower SES with lower MISIC scores. Earlier onset (age <5 years) was associated with fewer behavioral problems and less negative impact on QoL.

CONCLUSION

Children with recent diagnosis, older age at onset, lower maternal educational level, elevated HbA1c, or belonging to lower SES were identified to have higher prevalence of various psychological and cognitive problems. In resource-limited settings, these children should be prioritized for behavioral and cognitive evaluation.

Diabetes care provision: barriers, enablers and service needs of young adults with Type 1 diabetes from a region of social disadvantage

AIMS

To determine the barriers to and enablers of engaging with specialist diabetes care and the service requirements of young adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus from a low socio-economic, multicultural region.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey targeted 357 young adults with Type 1 diabetes, aged 18-30 years. Participants completed questions about barriers/enablers to accessing diabetes care and service preferences, self-reported HbA(1c), plus measures of diabetes-related distress (Problem Areas in Diabetes), depression/anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and illness perceptions (Brief Illness Perceptions Questionnaire).

RESULTS

Eighty-six (24%) responses were received [55 (64%) female; mean ± sd age 24 ± 4 years; diabetes duration 12 ± 7 years; HbA(1c) 68 ± 16 mmol/mol (8.4 ± 1.5%)]. Logistical barriers to attending diabetes care were reported; for example, time constraints (30%), transportation (26%) and cost (21%). However, 'a previous unsatisfactory diabetes health experience' was cited as a barrier by 27%. Enablers were largely matched to overcoming these barriers. Over 90% preferred a multidisciplinary team environment, close to home, with after-hours appointment times. Forty per cent reported severe diabetes-related distress, 19% reported moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms and 50% reported moderate-to-severe anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

Among these young adults with Type 1 diabetes, glycaemic control was suboptimal and emotional distress common. They had identifiable logistical barriers to accessing and maintaining contact with diabetes care services, which can be addressed with flexible service provision. A substantial minority were discouraged by previous unsatisfactory experiences, suggesting health providers need to improve their interactions with young adults. This research will inform the design of life-stage-appropriate diabetes services targeting optimal engagement, access, attendance and ultimately improved healthcare outcomes in this vulnerable population.

A profile of self-care behaviors in emerging adults with type 1 diabetes

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to characterize daily diabetes self-care behaviors and to evaluate associations among self-care behaviors, psychosocial adjustment, and glycemic control in an understudied sample of emerging adults with type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

Forty-nine emerging adults (65% women; ages 18-26 years) completed 2 diabetes interviews to assess self-care behaviors and self-report measures of psychosocial adjustment. Glycemic control was assessed via hemoglobin A1C.

RESULTS

Diabetes self-care behaviors varied widely and were largely suboptimal; only a small percentage of participants demonstrated self-care behaviors consistent with national and international recommendations. Psychosocial adjustment was within normal limits and was unrelated to frequency of self-care behaviors in this sample. Mean glycemic control (8.3%) was higher than the recommended A1C level (< 7.0%) for this age group. Use of intensive (e.g., multiple daily injections or pump) insulin regimens was related to better glycemic control.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of emerging adults in this sample did not engage in optimal daily diabetes self-care. Intensive insulin therapy was associated with better glycemic control without corresponding psychosocial distress. Diabetes care behaviors could be improved in this age group, and emerging adults may benefit from targeted education and behavioral support to enhance diabetes self-management and optimize health outcomes.

Content validity of the PedsQL™ 3.2 Diabetes Module in newly diagnosed patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus ages 8-45

OBJECTIVES

The content validity of the 28-item PedsQL™ 3.0 Diabetes Module has not been established in research on pediatric and adult patients with newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetes across a broad age range. This study aimed to document the content validity of three age-specific versions (8-12 years, 13-18 years, and 18-45 years) of the PedsQL™ Diabetes Module in a population of newly diagnosed patients with Type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

The study included in-depth interviews with 31 newly diagnosed patients with Type 1 diabetes between the ages of 8 and 45 years, as well as 14 parents and/or caregivers of child and teenage patients between the ages of 8 and 18 years of age; grounded theory data collection and analysis methods; and review by clinical and measurement experts.

RESULTS

Following the initial round of interviews, revisions reflecting patient feedback were made to the Child and Teen versions of the Diabetes Module, and an Adult version of the Diabetes Module was drafted. Cognitive interviews of the modified versions of the Diabetes Module were conducted with an additional sample of 11 patients. The results of these interviews support the content validity of the modified 33-item PedsQL™ 3.2 Diabetes Module for pediatric and adult patients, including interpretability, comprehensiveness, and relevance suitable for all patients with Type 1 Diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

Qualitative methods support the content validity of the modified PedsQL™ 3.2 Diabetes Module in pediatric and adult patients. It is recommended that the PedsQL™ 3.2 Diabetes Module replaces version 3.0 and is suitable for measuring patient-reported outcomes in all patients with newly diagnosed, stable, or long-standing diabetes in clinical research and practice.

Facilitating healthy coping in patients with diabetes: a systematic review

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to summarize recent literature on approaches to supporting healthy coping in diabetes in 2 specific areas: (1) the impact of different approaches to diabetes treatment on healthy coping and (2) the effectiveness of interventions specifically designed to support healthy coping.

METHODS

A PubMed search identified 129 articles published August 1, 2006, to April 30, 2011, addressing diabetes in relation to emotion, quality of life, depression, adjustment, anxiety, coping, family therapy, behavior therapy, psychotherapy, problem solving, couples therapy, or marital therapy.

RESULTS

Evidence suggests that treatment choice may significantly influence quality of life, with treatment intensification in response to poor metabolic control often improving quality of life. The recent literature provides support for a variety of healthy coping interventions in diverse populations, including diabetes self-management education, support groups, problem-solving approaches, and coping skills interventions for improving a range of outcomes; cognitive behavior therapy and collaborative care for treating depression; and family therapy for improving coping in youths.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthy coping in diabetes has received substantial attention in the past 5 years. A variety of approaches show positive results. Research is needed to compare the effectiveness of different approaches in different populations and determine how to overcome barriers to intervention dissemination and implementation.

Demographic and clinical correlates of diabetes-related quality of life among youth with type 1 diabetes

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the reliability and cluster structure of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Type 1 Diabetes Module 3.0 (PedsQL-T1DM) and associated subscales and to explore the associations between PedsQL-T1DM total score and demographic and clinical characteristics and clinical indicators among a large racially/ethnically diverse cohort of youth with type 1 diabetes.

STUDY DESIGN

Principal components analysis was conducted on responses from the PedsQL-T1DM child self-report forms completed by SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study participants aged ≥ 5 years. Multivariate linear regression models were fit to examine the associations among PedsQL-T1DM total score, demographic and clinical characteristics, and clinical indicators.

RESULTS

The sample comprised 2602 youth with a mean age of 13.6 ± 4.1 years and a mean T1DM duration of 62.1 ± 47.0 months. Principal components analysis did not support the 5 existing PedsQL-T1DM subscales. In multivariate analyses, the PedsQL-T1DM total score was negatively and significantly associated with younger age (5-7 years), female sex, receiving insulin by injection (vs pump), having parents without a college degree, Medicaid/Medicare insurance, and having a comorbid medical condition. Youth with poor glycemic control based on their age-specific hemoglobin A1c target values and those with depressive symptoms had significantly lower PedsQL-T1DM scores than their counterparts with good control and no or limited depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION

This study has identified sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of youth with T1DM more likely to experience poor diabetes-specific quality of life. The association of lower PedsQL-T1DM scores with depressive symptoms and poor glycemic control is especially concerning and may be the focus of future interventions and studies.

Psychological screening in adolescents with type 1 diabetes predicts outcomes one year later

AIMS

Adolescents with type 1 diabetes are at increased risk for depression and anxiety, which can adversely affect diabetes management, glycemic control, and quality of life (QOL). However, systematic psychological screening is rarely employed. We hypothesized that higher depression and anxiety screener scores would predict higher HbA1c, less frequent blood glucose monitoring (BGM), and poorer QOL one year later. Raw screener scores were expected to be more robust predictors than cutoff scores.

METHODS

150 adolescents age 13-18 with type 1 diabetes completed depression and anxiety screeners. One year later, blood glucose meters were downloaded to assess BGM frequency, HbA1c values were obtained, and caregivers rated the participants' QOL. Separate regressions were conducted for each outcome, including demographic and medical covariates.

RESULTS

Higher depression scores predicted less frequent BGM (b=-0.05, p<.05) and poorer QOL (b=-0.71, p<.01), and higher state anxiety scores predicted higher HbA1c (b=0.07, p<.05). Continuous screener scores identified risk for 12-month outcomes more robustly than clinical cut-off scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychological screeners predict diabetes outcomes one year later. Future clinical research studies should explore whether psychological screening and referral for appropriate intervention can prevent deteriorations in diabetes management and control commonly seen during adolescence.

Cardiovascular fitness and quality of life in adolescents with type 1 or type 2 diabetes

PURPOSE

This descriptive study of adolescents with type 1 or type 2 diabetes examined the relationships between cardiovascular fitness and physical activity (PA) with generic or health-related quality of life (QoL), glycemic control, and lipids.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Graded ergometry testing for fitness, fasting assays for lipids, glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C), and self-reported PA and QoL instruments were completed with 151 adolescents.

RESULTS

Adolescents with type 2 diabetes had lower fitness. Fitness was associated with improved lipids, A1C, health perception, and athletic competence in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Interventions to encourage active lifestyles are imperative for adolescents with diabetes.