ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact that type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in children has on parents' mental health and parents' coping with this condition. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving, at the outpatient examination, 41 caregivers of T1DM patients who had been diagnosed for at least 6 months. We evaluated the parents' coping strategies with the Brief COPE and their depressive and anxiety symptoms with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Glycemic control of patients was assessed using the last glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values. RESULTS: The average total score at HADS was 17.62 (SD=6.98). Half of the parents had an anxious score over the cut-off. The more parents were depressed or anxious, the more they used emotion-focused coping (P=0.002 and P=0.00, respectively). The more parents were anxious or depressed, the more they used maladaptive coping strategies such as avoidance and distraction. CONCLUSION: These findings emphasise the key role of healthcare providers in assessing parents' difficulties and taking special care of those who have the most problems.
Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological , Anxiety/etiology , Caregivers/psychology , Depression/etiology , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/psychology , Mental Health , Parents/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Anxiety/diagnosis , Anxiety/psychology , Child , Child, Preschool , Cross-Sectional Studies , Depression/diagnosis , Depression/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Quality of LifeABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed to measure the health-related quality of life (QoL) of Tunisian children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1MD). METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 48 patients aged 3-18 years with T1MD, diagnosed for at least 6 months, and their parents, who underwent outpatient examinations from September to December 2018. The children's QoL was assessed using the PedQL 3.0 Diabetes Module exploring five dimensions: diabetes symptoms, treatment barriers, treatment adherence, worry, and communication problems. Parents shared their perception of their children's QoL through the PedQL 4.0 parents' report (general health and emotional, social, and scholar functioning). Glycemic control was assessed using the last glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) values. RESULTS: The patients' average QoL score was 80.52 (±13.61) without significant differences between gender and age. The longer the duration of the disease, the worse the glycemic control. Girls and adolescents seemed to have poorer glycemic control. Boys and adolescents had more difficulties in all aspects of QoL. Parents perceived a worse QoL than that reported by their sons/daughters (72.34±16.42; P=0.006). CONCLUSION: These findings emphasize the importance of an interdisciplinary, biopsychosocial, and family-centered care approach to patients with T1MD.
