Adherence to diabetes care: Knowledge of biochemical processes has a high impact on glycaemic control among adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Abstract

Aim To evaluate the impact of patients’ understanding of biochemical processes involved in glucose regulation (causal‐biochemical knowledge) and of diabetes self‐management knowledge on adherence to treatment recommendations among adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Design A cross‐sectional study. Methods Adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus, aged 12–18 years and able to read and write in Hebrew or in Arabic were eligible. Participants were recruited between August 2016 – January 2018 during routine visits to the Paediatric Diabetes Clinic; informed consent was obtained as customary. Patients completed sociodemographic, clinical and type 1 diabetes mellitus self‐management and biochemical knowledge questionnaires. Adherence to treatment was assessed by patients’ serum HbA1c levels, collected from medical records. Results Ninety‐seven patients participated in the study. Mean HbA1c levels were 9.2% (1.9%) and only 24 (24.7%) patients met the recommended HbA1c ≤ 7.5%. Lower HbA1c levels were strongly associated with higher family income, older age at diagnosis and with better type 1 diabetes mellitus self‐management and causal‐biochemical knowledge. A regression model showed that causal‐biochemical knowledge contributed to the variance in HbA1c levels. Furthermore, causal‐biochemical knowledge, but not self‐management knowledge, was found to mediate the negative relationship between low family income and high HbA1c levels. Conclusions Causal‐biochemical knowledge is a valuable component for the adherence to diabetes care and glycaemic control. Impact Our study suggests that causal knowledge is a valuable component that should be included in nursing and healthcare educational programmes for adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Effect of Mothers’ Care Adherence on Control of type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Among their Children

“…The current study revealed that there was a significant improvement in the mother's adherence on posttest than pretest. This result was consistent with Dagan et al, 2019 who conducted a study about "Adherence to Diabetes Care: Knowledge of Biochemical Processes have a High Impact on Glycemic Control Among Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes", they stated that causal-biochemical knowledge is a valuable component for the adherence to diabetes care and glycemic control. This result was consistent with Mahfouz et al, 2018 they conducted a study about "Effects of Mothers' Knowledge and Coping Strategies on the Glycemic Control of Their Diabetic Children in Egypt" they stated that the mothers with more knowledge about diabetes and with better education were able to maintain a better glycemic control of their children.…”

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