COVID-19 pandemic: a double trouble for Indian adolescents and young adults living with type 1 diabetes

Abstract

Background Strict isolation measures and interrupted health care services during the COVID 19 pandemic are contemplated to instigate stress universally, particularly in those with chronic illnesses such as type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods A cross-sectional, observational study was done to assess determinants of stress and its impact on glycemic control in adolescents and young adults (aged 12-24 years) living with T1D in India. An online, semi-structured survey including Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) was distributed and results were analyzed. Results A total of 89 participants (46 males, mean age 19.61 ± 3.8 years) with T1D completed the survey. Age (r = 0.325, p = 0.005) and HBA1C level within the preceding 3 months (r = 0.274, p = 0.036) correlated positively with PSS-10 scores. There was a statistically significant difference in PSS-10 score based on gender (t(70) = − 2.147; p = 0.035), education (F (4,67) = 4.34, p = 0.003), and occupation (F(3,68) = 4.50, p = .006). On multiple linear regression, gender, occupation, and HbA1C were the significant determinants of PSS-10 (F(3,55) = 12.01, p < 0.001, R 2 = 0.363). One-way ANOVA showed a significant impact of mean PSS-10 score on the glycemic control (F(2,69) = 3.813, p = 0.027). Conclusion An increased prevalence of stress was seen among Indian adolescents and young adults living with T1D. Female gender, salaried individuals, and pre-existing poorly controlled diabetes contributed to an increased risk of stress. Increased stress resulted in worsened glycemic control.

Glycemic control among children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes during COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt: a pilot study

“…Although being non-significant, HbA1C improved in toddlers and preschoolers; however, school children and adolescents had significant worsening. This is similar to previous studies which showed that the pandemic and lockdown negatively impacted the metabolic control of type 1 diabetes among children and adolescents [11][12][13]. However, data from the current study, regarding impact of lockdown on glycemic control, was in contrast to data explored by previous studies showing no worsening or even improvement of glycemic control during the period of lockdown [5][6][7].…”

“…Sixty percent perceived moderate stress, and 40% perceived severe stress. This was shown in a similar study where more than half of the studied cohort reported moderate stress [12].…”

COVID-19 pandemic and psychological wellbeing among health care workers and general population: A systematic-review and meta-analysis of the current evidence from India

“…Details and outcomes related to the mental health of included articles are provided in Table 1 . 3 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 All 22 cross-sectional studies were carried out in the Indian population, with age ranging from 12 to 82 years, and the majority of study participants were above 18 years. These 22 studies enrolled a total of 9947 participants, including 5542 (55.7%) males and 4405 (44.3%) females.…”

How Do you Focus on Quality of Life When Kids Cannot Go to School or Outside?

“…A notable decrease in PedsQL scores were seen for children between baseline and COVID-19 with the biggest decrease in scores among children for whom anxiety was reported [46]. A separate study of stress levels in adolescents in India with type 1 diabetes mellitus during COVID-19 found that over half of adolescents surveyed reported moderate stress levels which was also correlated with reported worsening of glycemic control [47]. Not all children with chronic illnesses have reported increased stress or anxiety levels.…”