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Improved Health-related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents with Type 1diabetes: A Two-year Prospective Family Intervention RCT Study



Author(s)

Peter Sand, Marizela Kljajić, Gun Forsander

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DOI:10.17265/2328-7136/2017.02.001

The aim of this two-year prospective RCT-study was to evaluatechildren’s HRQOL after afamily interventionproviding support with four sessions for six months following diagnosis of type 1 diabetes(T1DM), with follow-upsessions at 12, 18, and 24 months. Methods: Ninety-eight children aged 3–15 years, recently diagnosed with T1DM,participated withtheir parents. At six and 24 months after diagnosis, the child, mother, and father independently completed the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Scale and PedsQL 3.0 Diabetes Module Scale, and the child’s glycemic control (HbA1c value)was measured. Results:After six months, children in the intervention group had better generic HRQOL than the control group (p<0.03). At 24 months, these children and theirfathers ratedthe child’s diabetes-specific HRQOL as significantly better (p<0.01, p<0.04)and the child’s worry as lower(p<0.02, p<0.03) compared to the control group. Communication skills improved significantlyover time in the intervention group (p<0.01). There were no significant differences between control and intervention group regarding glycemic control, measured as HbA1c,either at six or 24 months. Conclusion:This study highlights the importance of psychological support after the onset of T1DM, especially facilitating communication skills within the family in the immediate and ongoing care.

HRQOL, family intervention, RCT, HbA1c, type 1 diabetes, children – adolescents, glycemic control