Quality of life of adolescents with type 1 diabetes

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes mellitus is a highly prevalent chronic disease. Type 1 diabetes mellitus usually develops during infancy and adolescence and may affect the quality of life of adolescents. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of life of adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus in a metropolitan region of western central Brazil. METHODS: Adolescents aged 10-19 years who had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus at least 1 year previously were included. Patients with verbal communication difficulties, severe disease, and symptomatic hypo- or hyperglycemic crisis as well as those without an adult companion and who were <18 years of age were excluded. The self-administered Diabetes Quality of Life for Youths instrument was applied. RESULTS: Among 96 adolescents (57% females; 47% white, and 53% nonwhite), 81% had an HbA1c level of >7%. In general, the adolescents consistently reported having a good quality of life. The median scores for the domains of the instrument were as follows: “satisfaction”: 35; “impact”: 51; and “worries“: 26. The total score for all domains was 112. Bivariate analysis showed significant associations among a lower family income, public health assistance, and insulin type in the “satisfaction” domain; and a lower family income, public health assistance, public school attendance, and a low parental education level in the “worries“ domain and for the total score. A longer time since diagnosis was associated with a lower total score. Multivariable analysis confirmed the association of a worse quality of life with public health assistance, time since diagnosis, and sedentary lifestyle in the “satisfaction” domain; female gender in the “worries” domain; and public health assistance for the total score. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the adolescents evaluated in this study viewed their quality of life as good. Specific factors that ...