ESPE Abstracts (2014) 82 P-D-3-3-752

ESPE2014 Poster Category 3 Diabetes (4) (12 abstracts)

The Psychological Impact of Diabetes on Glycaemic Control in Affected Saudi Children at Different Developmental Age Groups

Amir Babiker a , Mona El Rashid a , Nasir Al Jurayyan a , Maralyn Druce b , Aban Bahebri c , Mohamed El Ahmedi d , Ahmed H Errasoul e , Hala Gasim a & Simon Coppack b


aPaediatric Endocrine Division, King Khalid University Hospital, College of Medicine (39), King Saud University, PO Box 2925, 11461 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; bQueen Mary University (Msc in Endocrinology and Diabetes), London, UK; cKing Saud University (Medical Students), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; dKing Saud University (Obesity Chair – Statistics), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; eRoscommon County Hospital (Consultant Psychiatrist), Roscommon, Ireland


Background: Diabetes is the third commonest chronic disease of childhood. When a child or an adolescent is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D), adaptation to a new life is usually a challenge for the whole family. There are specific challenges posed by T1D on the affected children, and their families, at different developmental age groups. The correlation between HbA1c and age specific psychological challenges, to our knowledge, has not been previously explored in the Middle East.

Objective/hypotheses: To assess the correlation between children’s HbA1c and the psychological impact of T1D on affected Saudi children and their parents at King Khalid University hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Also to explore any variation, between children and their parents and between the children at different age groups, in the psychological impact scores of different aspects of T1D.

Method: In this cross sectional study, the psychological impact of T1D on children and their parents was assessed using a standard quality of life diabetes specific questionnaire for children – (PedQoL DM V3.0 – Arabic translation). The total and individual impact scores of different domains in the questionnaire were calculated from children’s and parents’ responses. Data were statistically analysed using Pearson’s correlation, ANOVA and t-2 tests.

Results: There were significant variations in the mean HbA1c between different age groups. Though statistically not significant, the HbA1c showed more of negative correlations with the psychological impact scores of parents compared to very poor correlations with children’s scores. There were variations, but not statistically significant, in the correlations of HbA1c with parents’ and children’s impact scores of individual domains at different age groups.

Conclusion: Identifying age specific challenges in children with T1D may help focusing on relevant areas of concern in their management. Larger studies may be required to better highlight the relationship of these challenges with HbA1c in affected Saudi children.

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