UIC College of Nursing

Denise Kent Funded Projects

Type I Diabetes: How do young people manage their diabetes?

Funding Source: UIC College of Nursing, Seth D. Rosen Graduate Student Research Award

Dates: 5/01/10– 4/30/11

Abstract: As children with type 1 diabetes enter adolescence and young adulthood, they are faced with a myriad of personal, social and economic challenges that may adversely affect their quality of life (QOL). There is a paucity of research on self-management and QOL in young adults (ages 18-30) with type 1 diabetes. We hypothesize that increased fear of hypoglycemia, increased fear of complications, and decreased diabetes knowledge will negatively influence self-efficacy, and diabetes self-management behaviors, which will lead to decreased QOL. The purpose of this descriptive, cross sectional study is to describe the interrelationships among diabetes knowledge (Diabetes Knowledge Test {{141 Fitzgerald,J.T. 1998}}; fear of hypoglycemia (Hypoglycemia Fear Scale {{129 Cox,D.J. 1999}}; fear of complications (Fear of Complications Questionnaire {{142 Taylor,E.P. 2005}}; diabetes self-efficacy (Self-Efficacy for Diabetes Self-Management) {{119 Iannotti,R.J. 2006}}; diabetes self-management behaviors (Diabetes Behavior Rating Scale {{138 Iannotti,R.J. 2006}}and quality of life (Diabetes Quality of Life Measure. {{140 Jacobson, A., Barofsky, I., Cleary. P., Rand, L. 1988}} in 150 young adults with type 1 diabetes(18-30 years). The subjects will be recruited through a variety of venues including flyers, advertisements, American Diabetes Association newsletters and online internet communities. IRB approval for this study has been obtained. Data will be analyzed using descriptive, correlational and regression statistics. The results of this study will be used to develop innovative programs to improve diabetes self-management and quality of life in this vulnerable group.