This study is both an evaluation of patients' perceptions of a diabetes clinic for under-25 year olds, and an assessment of experiences in transferring from a paediatric clinic. Sixty-nine patients with Type 1 diabetes (74% of the total clinic), including 41 females, completed evaluations of the clinic and recall of experiences in transfer. Mean age on transferring clinic was 15.9 (range 12-20) years. Paediatricians were perceived to emphasise family and social life, school or work progress; adult physicians tended to stress the risk of long-term complications, importance of exercise and need to maintain strict levels of glycaemic control. Our data suggest that transition to adult care can generally be achieved non-traumatically, but patients may perceive some difficulty because of different emphases and treatment advice favoured by paediatricians and adult physicians.
Sixty-nine young adults (mean age 21 (range 15-25) years) with Type 1 diabetes completed measures of diabetes knowledge and quality of life. Factor analysis of the quality of life scale resulted in the identification of three subscales (social relationships, diabetes concerns, and impact). There was no relation between any of the quality of life subscales with knowledge, or with multiple versus twice-daily insulin injection regimens. Higher self-rated diabetes satisfaction was related to lower fructosamine levels and better clinic attendance (p less than 0.05). Females reported a more negative impact of diabetes on their lives compared with males (p less than 0.05).
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