Authors:
Johnson SR, Cooper MN, Davis EA, Jones TW
Authors notes:
Diabetic Medicine. 2013:online
Keywords:
Diabetes millets, hypoglycaemia, fear, parents, episodes
Abstract:
To evaluate the association between fear of hypoglycaemia, episodes of hypoglycaemia and quality of life in children with Type 1 diabetes and their parents.
Parents with the highest levels of fear of hypoglycaemia reported that their children had a reduced quality of life.
Similarly children with the greatest fear also reported a reduced quality of life; however a history of severe hypoglycaemia was not associated with the child's quality of life as perceived by the child or parent.
Episodes of severe hypoglycaemia were associated with an increased fear of hypoglycaemia for the parents but not the children.
Children in the highest fear quartile also had a higher HbA1c concentration compared with those in the lowest fear quartile.
Fear of hypoglycaemia and not episodes of hypoglycaemia per se is associated with increased psychological burden for children with Type 1 diabetes.
Interventions to reduce fear of hypoglycaemia in these families may improve their quality of life.