Health-Related Quality of Life in Children with Type 1 Diabetes in Armenia

Abstract

Background: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is the life-threatening chronic disease if left without appropriate clinical care and self-management. Diabetes places a burden on family life and daily routine that can be reduced by a proper disease management program. Extensive research studies are conducted for the estimation of pediatric quality of life (PedsQL) in the medical and psychosocial care of diabetic children. Objectives: To evaluate the quality of life of children 8-12 y/o with T1DM, to compare PedsQL perceived by their parents, to understand influence of gender and other factors on PedsQL and disease management. Methods: Children with T1DM were identified and recruited from the pediatric endocrinology department registries. We used the validated adapted pediatric quality of life inventory 3.0 diabetes module of the child (ages 8-12) and parent reports. Obtained scales were compared between children and parents as well as between the two genders. Results: A total of 132 T1DM children and their primary caregivers participated in the study. The mean age of the children was 6.82 ± 2.17 years. Girls had higher (17.82 ± 1.59) body mass index (BMI) than boys (17.1 ± 1.95; OR = 0.72; P value 0.021). Mean levels of HbA1C were different in genders: 9 ± 1.78 for girls and 7.93 ± 1.0 for boys (P < 0.001). Diet habits of diabetic children with uneducated primary caregiver have not been changed (P value 0.0138) and these children more often experienced hypoglycemia (P < 0.001). Regular exercising had positive effect on level of HbA1C (7.8 ± 0.82 versus 8.93 ± 1.73) (P value 0.003). In a comparison of PedsQL scores between boys and girls, we have found significant differences in 17 items and in 15 items between child and parent. Conclusions: In 8-12 y/o group of T1DM children, girls seem to be more sensitive towards pain and difficulties associated with the disease, boys experienced more difficulties related to treatment compliance and parents' involvement. Primary caregivers mostly underestimated the child's PedsQL.

Variables predicting quality of life among university students with type 1 diabetes

“…While the results showed that Physical Activities, family support, and motivation for achievement respectively predict improved mental health as an area of QOL and the overall score of QOL, this finding is consistent with the study (Hu, et al,1999) which concluded that moderate-intensity physical activity such as walking, or high intensity leads to the prevention of diabetes, as consistent with the results of studies (Kesici & Çavuş, 2019;Martins et al, 2018;Markosyan & Perikhanyan, 2019;Tveten et al, 2017) concluded that regular physical activity helps to manage diabetes and can improve mental health, QOL, and well-being. The results also showed that Physical Activities, and motivation for achievement respectively, predict improved social relationships as an area of QOL and this result is consistent with the results of studies (Lassoued, 2017;Mohamed, 2016;Al-omairi, 2018) to a statistically significant relationship between QOL and the motivation for achievement and that QOL can be predicted by motivation for achievement among university students in general, and diabetics in particular.…”

“…This result is consistent with studies (Mohamed, 2016;Lassoued, 2017;Al-omairi, 2018) that have resulted in a statistically significant relationship between QOL and motivation for achievement among university students in general, and diabetics in particular, as consistent with the study of (Shao et al, 2017) which concluded that family support is a form of social support that brings positive mental and emotional changes in diabetics; strengthens their resoluteness and confidence in managing their health (physical and psychological health); thus contributes to improving their QOL, as its impact reflects on improving their sugar rare in the blood; it is also consistent with the result (Novita & Novitasari, 2017;Mousavi et al, 2017) which indicated a direct relationship between family support and QOL. In addition to the result of the Study (Al-Mohaimeed, 2017), which concluded that anxiety is more common among patients with impaired social support, it is also consistent with a study (Tveten et al, 2017) which indicated a relationship between Physical Activities and QOL as interest in Physical Activities increases QOL and is also consistent with studies (Kesici & Çavuş, 2019;Martins et al, 2018;Markosyan & Perikhanyan, 2019) which noted that regular physical activity helps in the management of chronic diseases including diabetes, and can improve mental health, QOL and well-being, and to increase interest in university students with type 1 diabetes, the search for variables that can have a positive correlation with their QOL is critical to improving their QOL, because as previous studies have indicated that they suffer from some psychological and physical problems, which may negatively affect their QOL (Cakmak & Gen , 2020;Delevatti et al, 2018;Jawadi. and Turki, 2018;Molvaer et al, 2020;Raymakers et al, 2018).…”

“…Previous studies have shown that regular physical activity helps in managing chronic diseases, including diabetes, as well as improves mental health, quality of life, and well-being (Kesici & Çavuş, 2019;Martins et al, 2018;Markosyan & Perikhanyan, 2019;Tveten et al, 2017). QOL is related to family support for elderly patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes and for females as well.…”