Diabetes distress in urban Black youth with type 1 diabetes and their caregivers: associations with glycemic control, depression, and health behaviors.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-13-2024
Publication Title
Journal of Pediatric Psychology
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their caregivers endorse high diabetes distress (DD). Limited studies have documented the impact of DD on Black youth. The aims of the present study were to (1) describe DD among a sample of Black adolescents with T1D and their caregivers, (2) compare their DD levels with published normative samples, and (3) determine how DD relates to glycemic outcomes, diabetes self-management, parental monitoring of diabetes, and youth depressive symptoms.
METHODS: Baseline data from a multicenter clinical trial were used. Participants (N = 155) were recruited from 7 Midwestern pediatric diabetes clinics. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and measures of DD, parental monitoring of diabetes care, youth depression and diabetes management behaviors were obtained. The sample was split into (1) adolescents (ages 13-14; N = 95) and (2) preadolescents (ages 10-12; N = 60). Analyses utilized Cohen's d effect sizes, Pearson correlations, t-tests, and multiple regression.
RESULTS: DD levels in youth and caregivers were high, with 45%-58% exceeding either clinical cutoff scores or validation study sample means. Higher DD in youth and caregivers was associated with higher HbA1c, lower diabetes self-management, and elevated depressive symptoms, but not with parental monitoring of diabetes management.
CONCLUSIONS: Screening for DD in Black youth with T1D and caregivers is recommended, as are culturally informed interventions that can reduce distress levels and lead to improved health outcomes. More research is needed on how systemic inequities contribute to higher DD in Black youth and the strategies/policy changes needed to reduce these inequities.
Volume
49
Issue
6
First Page
394
Last Page
404
Recommended Citation
Evans M, Ellis DA, Vesco AT, Feldman MA, Weissberg-Benchell J, Carcone AI, et al. [Degnan B, Dekelbab B]. Diabetes distress in urban Black youth with type 1 diabetes and their caregivers: associations with glycemic control, depression, and health behaviors. J Pediatr Psychol. 2024 Jun 13;49(6):394-404. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsad096. PMID: 38216126.
DOI
10.1093/jpepsy/jsad096
ISSN
1465-735X
PubMed ID
38216126
