LIFE QUALITY OF THE CHILD WITH DIABETES MELLITUS

Abstract

Background and Aims. The intensive treatment in diabetes mellitus disturbs the common activities of the child, requiring a focus on the disease both from the part of the child and of the family, having an impact on the life quality. Therefore, the general assessment of the life quality of the child with diabetes mellitus becomes important. Materials and Methods. The study comprised 153 children known with type 1 diabetes mellitus, recorded with the Centers of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases of Iasi and Suceava, aged between 8 – 18 years old, with a duration of diabetes mellitus of 1 – 10 years. For comparison, we employed a control group of 30 non-diabetic children. Each child and parent filled-in two questionnaires: Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and Diabetes Family Conflict Scale. Results. The direct analysis showed that child life quality decreases slightly in the case of a great number of insulin injections, but not significant. The multivariate analysis regarding PedsQL assessment score highlighted the fact that only the family conflict condition reported to diabetes mellitus of the child and the number of insulin administrations a day, influence in a significant manner their life quality. Conclusions. Family involvement in the management of diabetes mellitus of the child represents a fertile field for conflict appearance in family and we propose the intensive and correct involvement of the family in the management of diabetes mellitus of the child in order to maintain a high level of child life quality.