Health related quality of life among children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus
General Medicine, 2023, 25(2), 19-24.
B. Levterova1, M. Konstantinova2, E. Vasileva3
1 Department of Health Management and Health Economics, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University – Plovdiv
2 First Pediatric Ambulatory Clinic ‒ Sofia
3 PhD Student ‒ Department of Propedeutics of Internal Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University – Plovdiv
Abstract. Diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM T1) is one of the most common endocrine-metabolic disorders in childhood and represents not only a significant medical problem, but a social and economic issue as well. Young people with diabetes, their families, and physicians continue to be faced with the challenge of striving to maintain blood glucose levels in the near-normal range. In addition to the usual stressors encountered in childhood and adolescence, youths with DMТ1 encounter physical and social limitations and issues associated with the management of their condition. Therefore, there is a crucial need for understanding how DM T1 and its treatment affect the overall quality of life of a child with this disease. The aim of the study was to evaluate the Health-Related Quality of life (HRQoL) among children and adolescents with diabetes mellitus type 1 in Bulgaria. Material and methods: A pilot cross-sectional study was conducted in outpatient practices in Sofia and Plovdiv with PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales and PedsQL™ 3.2 Diabetes Module. Results: The results indicated that later age of onset of diabetes, less hyperglycemic episodes, lower glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and male gender were associated with better HRQoL. Conclusion: Disease duration and poor metabolic control are the most important predictors of lower HRQoL in children and adolescents with T1DM. Monitoring health related quality of life of adolescents with chronic diseases in clinical practice is increasingly advocated.
Key words: type 1 diabetes mellitus, Health-Related Quality of life (HRQo)L, children, adolescents, Bulgaria
Address for correspondence: Boryana Levterova, DM, e-mail: boriana_levterova@abv.bg