A New Paediatric Diabetes Knowledge Test - M-WIKAD Development and Factor Analysis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a measure of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) knowledge that is aimed at youth and is based on contemporary management standards. Methods: An 88-item test was derived from the American Association of Diabetes Educators 7 Self-Care Behaviors. Results: A multidisciplinary team selected the best 49 items which were piloted in a sample of 119 youths (59 males, aged 12-18, having a mean ± standard deviation glycated haemoglobin (A1C) of 9.9%±1.80 (84.7±19.7 mmol/mol). A minimum absolute point-biserial correlation coefficient of 0.250 was used to choose 49 items from the original 88 questions. Categorical principal component analysis was then used to identify the best factor analytical model that consisted of five factors composed of 19 items. These five factors explained 57% of item variances. Factors were associated with the latent variables: advanced problem-solving, hypoglycaemia prevention and management, taking insulin/medication administration, daily management and healthy active living. Conclusion: A new T1D knowledge test for youth was refined from 88 to 49 questions based on expert opinion and empirical test construction. The instrument was then refined to 19 items based on exploratory factor analysis. Future goals are to validate this factor model with another cohort and confirm concurrent validity based on youth's glycated haemoglobin and adherence behaviours. Our new T1DM knowledge measure initially appears valid and promising as a new clinical and research tool.

A Pilot Study Evaluating the Impact of an Adherence-promoting Intervention Among Nonadherent Youth With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

PURPOSE: This study examined the feasibility and impact of a multicomponent adherence intervention among youth with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) who presented to clinic with poor adherence. DESIGN AND METHODS: Medical providers referred twelve adolescents for the intervention, who participated in 4 weekly visits with a caregiver aimed at improving adherence. RESULTS: Intervention session attendance was 100% and the intervention was rated as feasible and acceptable. Mean adherence increased 12% from baseline to post-intervention (p<0.01), and 6% from baseline to 1-month follow-up (p<0.025). A generalized linear model revealed significantly greater adherence from baseline to post-intervention (p<0.001), and from baseline to 1-month follow-up (p<0.01). Logistic Regression revealed a nearly 2:1 odds ratio during post-intervention when compared to the Baseline period (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that the delivery of a multicompoment adherence intervention to poorly adherent youth with IBD can result in significant improvements in their adherence to oral medication. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: An intervention individually tailored to each family's unique adherence barriers is a feasible and promising treatment approach for improving medication adherence among nonadherent youth seen in clinical care.

Sleep duration and its impact on adherence in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Adherence to the type 1 diabetes (T1D) regimen, while predictive of glycemic control, decreases during adolescence. For adolescents, attaining adequate sleep is an additional challenge. This study evaluates the impact of sleep on adherence in teens with T1D. SUBJECTS: Forty-five adolescents aged 12-18 yr, with T1D for at least 6 months while on insulin pump therapy. METHODS: Adolescents logged their sleep on a written diary for 2 wk. Corresponding insulin pump/glucometer downloads as well as sleep habit questionnaires were also obtained. RESULTS: Data from 20 girls and 25 boys, with a mean age of 15 ± 1.6 yr and mean glycated hemoglobin of 8.7 ± 1.1% (72 mmol/mol), were analyzed. Overall, average sleep was 8.6 ± 0.9 h per night. Sleep durations were compared to the next day's frequency of self-monitored blood glucose (SMBG) and total daily insulin bolus frequency. Associations were found between sleep duration and youths' SMBG and insulin bolus frequencies (p < 0.03 and p < 0.001, respectively). Specifically, a 15- and 20-min increase in sleep was associated with one additional SMBG check and one additional insulin bolus, respectively. CONCLUSION: Analyses suggest an associated increase in T1D self-management behaviors in youths with increased sleep duration. These findings highlight the importance of assessing sleep in clinical practice, and encourage further research to examine effective strategies to address sleep hygiene as part of routine diabetes management.

Adapting an HIV Risk Reduction Curriculum: Processes and Outcomes.

Becoming a Responsible Teen (BART) is a community-based, HIV risk reduction curriculum shown to increase safer sex behaviors among African American adolescents. However, BART does not address common barriers to sexual health care access, which may limit program efficacy. We used a community-engaged adaptation process to maximize program relevance and health outcomes by incorporating a broad ecological perspective. Adolescent and staff advisory boards at a community-based organization recommended modifications (e.g., delete references to Kwanzaa, update language, localize incentives) and supported inclusion of critical on-site health services, such as sexually transmitted infection testing and condom provision. We conducted a trial of adapted BART (one session/week for 8 weeks) with 36 adolescents at two community organizations (mean age = 15.5 years, 52% female; 61% reported previous sexual intercourse). Most received on-site sexually transmitted infection testing (61%) and condoms (70%). Adolescents demonstrated significant improvements in self-efficacy for safer sexual practices (p < .02), AIDS risk knowledge (p < .001), condom knowledge (p < .001), and condom attitudes (p < .04). Adolescents and staff were satisfied with the revised curriculum and found on-site services acceptable. Based on improvements in constructs influencing behavior and the successful delivery of services essential for optimal health, future studies to assess efficacy and sustainability of the adapted curriculum appear warranted.

Association of HbA1c to BOLUS Scores Among Youths with Type 1 Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Frequency of mealtime insulin bolusing (BOLUS) is a promising new objective assessment of adherence in youths with type 1 diabetes (T1D). As further confirmation of the validity of BOLUS, we compare the associations of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values of T1D youths with the original scoring of BOLUS and two alternative scoring procedures: mean mealtime boluses within a 2-h meal window (2h-BOLUS) and total daily frequency of boluses (TOTAL-BOLUS). In addition, we assess HbA1c associations of these three procedures, including interaction terms for mealtime boluses plus correction boluses. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Blood glucose meter data, insulin pump records, and HbA1c levels were collected from a combined clinical and research database for a random sample of 100 youths (mean age, 12.7 ± 4.6 years). Youths' pump records were scored using the published methodology and alternative procedures for evaluating insulin use. RESULTS: Youths' BOLUS, TOTAL-BOLUS, and mealtime boluses within a 2-h meal window (2h-BOLUS) scores are independently associated with youths' HbA1c level; all measures demonstrated stronger associations with youths' HbA1c than did frequency of glucose monitoring. The strongest association was between youths' BOLUS score and their HbA1c level. In multiple regression analyses, youths' BOLUS score better explains the variations in HbA1c levels than either youths' 2h-BOLUS or TOTAL-BOLUS scores. When combined with BOLUS in the same relationships, 2h-BOLUS and TOTAL-BOLUS were not found to have statistically significant coefficients. None of the bivariate relationships of HbA1c and interaction terms of mealtime and correction boluses was significant. CONCLUSIONS: The original method for calculating BOLUS appears superior to alternative scoring methods in its association with youths' HbA1c levels.

Developing a risk stratification model for predicting future health care use in asthmatic children.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have stratified pediatric asthma patients for risk of future exacerbation and/or health care use, but most incorporate multiple clinical parameters. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether historical acute care visits (ACVs) alone could predict risk of future health care use. METHODS: Children seen for asthma in an outpatient visit during a 3-year period were identified. The number of ACVs in the 12 months before and after the outpatient visit was determined. Logistic regression models were used to determine the odds of a future ACV. Models were adjusted for age, sex, race, and insurance status. RESULTS: Of 28,047 outpatient visits, 21,099 (75.2%) had no historical ACVs. The probability of a future ACV increased from 30% with one historical ACV to 87% with 5 or more historical ACVs. Outpatient visits with one historical ACV had significantly higher odds of a future ACV compared with those with no historical ACVs (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.14-4.12; P < .001). The OR increased with each additional historical ACV to an adjusted OR of 58.71 (95% CI, 24.34-141.61; P < .001) with 5 or more historical ACVs. Outpatient visits with 5 or more historical ACVs represented only 1.1% of the study sample but accounted for a higher mean number of future ACVs. CONCLUSION: The historical count of ACVs was predictive of future ACVs. A significant increase in the probability of future ACVs was observed with each additional historical visit, effectively stratifying risk by the historical visit count. Notably, a small group of patients accounted for a disproportionate number of future ACVs.

High hemoglobin A1c variability is associated with early risk of microalbuminuria in children with T1D.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that HbA1c variability, as measured by standard deviation (SD), is associated with increased risk for incident microalbuminuria and persistent microalbuminuria in pediatric type 1 diabetes (T1D). METHODS: A retrospective analysis using data from electronic health records was performed on 1195 patients from a pediatric diabetes clinic network in the Midwest USA from 1993 to 2009 with ≥1 yr of T1D, ≥4 total HbA1c values, ≥2 HbA1c values/yr, ≥1 urine microalbumin. Microalbuminuria, the main outcome was defined as albumin excretion rate ≥20 mcg/min or 2 of 3 consecutive urine microalbumin/creatinine ≥30 mg/gm. Patients who had persistently high microalbumin or who were treated with an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor within 1 yr were considered to have persistent microalbuminuria. Sex, race, age, diagnosis age, and duration were covariates. RESULTS: Median numbers of per-patient HbA1c and microalbumin results were 14 and 3, respectively. Median intrapersonal mean HbA1c and SD were 8.62% (70.72 mol/mol) and 1.47% (16.07 mmol/mol), respectively. The median interquartile range (IQR) of diagnosis age was 9.4 yr (6.26-12.02) and diabetes duration was 4.97 yr (2.93-7.64). A total of 172 patients (14.4%) developed microalbuminuria; 55 (4.6%) had persistent microalbuminuria. Patients with higher SD of HbA1c had shorter time to microalbuminuria. In time-dependent Cox Proportional Hazard models, updated SD of HbA1c was significantly associated with microalbuminuria [univariate hazard ratio (HR) 1.48 (1.25-1.76); multivariable HR 1.28 (1.04-1.58)], whereas updated mean HbA1c was not [univariate HR 1.08 (0.97-1.22); multivariable HR 1.05 (0.92-1.2)]. Patients with persistent microalbuminuria had similar HRs. CONCLUSIONS: HbA1c variability is independently associated with development of microalbuminuria in children with T1D, highlighting the importance of maintaining stable glycemic control in pediatric patients.

Evaluation of the Average Daily Risk Range as a Measure of Glycemic Variability in Youths with Type 1 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The Average Daily Risk Range (ADRR) is a measure of glycemic variability (GV) developed for adults with diabetes. Although the ADRR is increasingly being reported in pediatric diabetes research and may also be used in clinical management, it has never been examined for its sensitivity to predicting hyper- and hypoglycemia in youths or compared for its predictive ability with other measures of GV in youths. Thus, we present predictive validity data for the ADRR in youths with type 1 diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Glucometer data for 436 youths (mean age, 11.8±3.8 years) were collected from a clinical database. Using these data, we computed the ADRR, SD of blood glucose, coefficient of variation of blood glucose, Low Blood Glucose Index, High Blood Glucose Index, the percentage of glucose values ≥70 and ≤180 mg/dL, the percentage of high glucose values >180 mg/dL and >400 mg/dL, and the percentage of low glucose values <70 mg/dL and <40 mg/dL in Month 1. We then compared these with episodes of hypo- and hyperglycemia in Month 2. RESULTS: The ADRR showed good concurrent validity with other measures of GV in youths experiencing hyperglycemic events but limited predictive validity in general and specifically with future hypoglycemic events. The percentages of current hyper- and hypoglycemic episodes appeared to be stronger predictors of future hyper- and hypoglycemic episodes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In a large pediatric sample, the ADRR was not the strongest predictor of future glycemic excursion. The percentages of current hyper- and hypoglycemic episodes appear to be stronger predictors.

Frequency of mealtime insulin bolus predicts glycated hemoglobin in youths with type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Within pediatric diabetes management, two electronic measures of adherence exist: frequency of daily blood glucose monitoring (BGM) and the BOLUS score, a measure of frequency of mealtime insulin bolusing. Past research has demonstrated that the BOLUS score is superior to daily BGM in predicting youths' glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in a cross-sectional study. We present data comparing the two adherence measures in predicting HbA1c using a prospective, longitudinal design. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Blood glucose meter data and insulin pump records were collected from a clinical database of 175 youths with type 1 diabetes (mean age, 11.7 ± 3.6 years at baseline). Youths' HbA1c levels occurring at the download time and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-downloads were also collected. We calculated youths' mean BGM and BOLUS score using a standardized protocol. RESULTS: Intraclass correlations (ICCs) revealed significant absolute equivalence between youths' predicted HbA1c values using BOLUS and BGM scores and future actual HbA1c values up to 12 months post-download. However, the ICCs of BOLUS scores with future HbA1c values were consistently higher than those of the BGM scores. Also, the predictions of the BOLUS scores were significantly more accurate (P ≤ 0.002) than those of the BGM scores based on the root mean squared error of predictions. CONCLUSIONS: In a prospective, longitudinal design, youths' BOLUS scores were superior to youths' daily BGM in predicting future values of HbA1c. Calculating a BOLUS score versus BGM can help researchers and clinicians achieve a better prediction of youths' HbA1c.

Frequency of mealtime insulin bolus as a proxy measure of adherence for children and youths with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Electronic measures of adherence can be superior to patient report. In type 1 diabetes, frequency of blood glucose monitoring (BGM), as measured by patients' home blood glucose meters, has already been identified as a valid proxy of adherence. We present methodology to calculate adherence using insulin pump records and evaluate the reliability and validity of this methodology. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Blood glucose meter data, insulin pump records, and corresponding hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were randomly gathered from clinical and research databases for 100 children and youths (referred to hereafter as youths) with type 1 diabetes (mean±SD age, 12.7±4.6 years). Youths' mean frequency of daily BGM was calculated. Additionally, we calculated a mean mealtime insulin bolus score (BOLUS): youths received 1 point each for a bolus between 0600 and 1000 h, 1100 and 1500 h, and 1600 and 2200 h (maximum of 1 point/meal or 3 points/day). RESULTS: Simple correlations between youths' HbA1c level, age, frequency of BGM, and insulin BOLUS scores were all significant. Partial correlations and multiple regression analyses revealed that insulin BOLUS scores better explain variations in HbA1c levels than the electronically recorded frequency of daily blood glucose measures. CONCLUSIONS: Our procedures for calculating insulin BOLUS scores using insulin pump records demonstrate better concurrent validity with youths' HbA1c levels than that of the frequency of BGM with youths' HbA1c levels. Our analyses have shown that insulin bolus scoring was superior to the frequency of BGM in predicting youths' HbA1c levels.

Cost savings of telemedicine utilization for child psychiatry in a rural Kansas community.

The costs of pediatric telemedicine services remain underreported and understudied; however, there is evidence that telepediatric services can be cost competitive with traditional ones. For 15 years, the University of Kansas Center for Telemedicine and Telehealth has been providing telemental health outreach from the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC). One service site is located in Crawford County, Kansas, which provides telepsychiatry services to children and adolescents. The purpose of this study was to examine the costs of operating the Crawford County site relative to accessing services at KUMC, the likely alternative service location. The cost of travel time to parents who accompanied a dependent to either location also was estimated. Patients and parents were examined over a 6-month period in 2006. One hundred thirty-two patients received 257 telemedicine psychiatric consultations during this period. Cost estimates for using the pediatric telemedicine service were assessed for all patients; however, travel and related costs were collected from a sample of 26 patient-parent dyads. The estimated costs of services were obtained using standard cost-accounting procedures. An average cost per consultation in Crawford County was $168.61. The cost savings in travel time and other expenses to parents and patients were substantial between use of the county site and KUMC. Subtracting average savings in travel costs to patients and parents produced an average cost of a telepsychiatry consult in Crawford County of only $30.99. This study was conducted over 6 months with a small number of observations; it should be replicated over a longer study period, with more patients, and with more data that might capture marginal costs of services.