Diabetes summer camps: history, safety, and outcomes

Maslow, Gary; Lobato, Debra

doi:10.1111/j.1399-5448.2008.00467.x

Cited by 40 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The review evaluated both psychological and physiological outcomes, including coping strategies, anxiety, attitude, self-concept, locus of control, knowledge of illness, and disease management, and found that improvements in health-related quality of life for children attending these camps were mixed across studies (Epstein et al, 2005). Additional literature reviews of illness-specific camps for children with type 1 diabetes and children with burn injuries found the study designs made it difficult to fully describe the outcomes associated with camp beyond the overall finding that camps were safe and that potential benefits existed related to medical outcomes, adherence, and psychosocial adjustment (Maslow & Lobato, 2009;.…”

Section: Current State Of Camp Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Positive Youth Development at Camps for Youth with Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Sendak

Schilstra

Tye

et al. 2018

JYD

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This study aimed to systematically review all the literature on camps for youth with childhood onset chronic illness (COCI) utilizing the Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework to assess camp processes and psychosocial outcomes. This paper describes a unique dataset of 425 included studies published over the last 70 years and gives a broad overview of camp demographics, processes that align with PYD's Big 3 (sustained adult-youth relationships, skill-building, and youth leadership) and measured outcomes that align with the PYD's 5 Cs (Competence, Confidence, Character, Social Connectedness, and Compassion). Among the included studies, 36% included diabetes camps, 15% included camps accepting multiple illnesses, 12% included cancer camps, and 11% included asthma camps. The majority of participants were under the age of 16. While no study explicitly used the PYD approach, over 90% of studies described camps that deployed both active leadership and sustained positive relationships, while only 59% of studies described camps providing the opportunity to learn life skills. Although no study utilized the PYD 5 Cs framework for outcome measurement, 47% addressed outcomes related to Competence, 44% addressed Confidence, 33% addressed Connection, 4% addressed Compassion, and 2% addressed Character. This review highlights opportunities for camp leadership to align their programming with the PYD framework, to incorporate older adolescents and young adults and, Journal of Youth Development | http://jyd.pitt.edu/ | Vol. 13 Issue 1-2 DOI 10.5195/jyd.2018.551 PYD at Camps for Youth with Chronic Illness 202 ultimately, to improve positive adult outcomes for youth with COCI. It provides a starting point for future research evaluating illness-specific camps using a PYD approach.

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Section: Current State Of Camp Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Positive Youth Development at Camps for Youth with Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Sendak

Schilstra

Tye

et al. 2018

JYD

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“…Compared with the number of summer burn camps, there seem to be more camps for children with asthma (121), diabetes (160), and cancer (65) in the United States and internationally. 22,24 Similar to burn camps, camps for other illness conditions also report a high rate of returning campers, suggesting a high degree of consumer satisfaction associated with camp. 22 The literature on burn camps focuses almost exclusively on psychosocial effects of camp on campers or volunteer staff.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…[22][23][24] The rationale for the development of camps for all these pediatric groups has consistently highlighted the need for social support, acceptance, and providing normalizing childhood experiences. Compared with the number of summer burn camps, there seem to be more camps for children with asthma (121), diabetes (160), and cancer (65) in the United States and internationally.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Over the past 25 years, there has been rapid expansion of summer camps for children with burns and for children with other chronic health conditions, such as asthma, cancer, and diabetes. [22][23][24] Although the locations of burn camps are varied and international, the prescribed activities are predominantly recreational in nature and aim to improve the child's psychological functioning and social integration. Most camps are weeklong experiences.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Summer Camps for Children With Burn Injuries: A Literature Review

Maslow

Lobato

2010

Journal of Burn Care & Research

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The first summer camps for children with burn injuries started over 25 years ago, and as of 2008, there were 60 camps worldwide. This review examines the literature on summer pediatric burn camps. The authors describe common characteristics of burn camp structure, activities, and staffing and then examine the scientific evidence regarding the effect of burn camp programs on campers and camp staff volunteers. A search of Pubmed and Psychinfo databases from 1970 to 2008 for articles related to pediatric burn summer camps identified 17 articles, of which 13 fit the inclusion criteria. Existing literature consists primarily of qualitative studies, suggesting that burn camp can decrease camper isolation, improve self-esteem, and promote coping and social skills. Studies examining volunteer staff at burn camp have consistently found that there are both personal and professional benefits. Quantitative studies of self-esteem have yielded equivocal results. No studies have examined safety or the effect of burn camp on medical or rehabilitation outcomes. For the past 25 years, pediatric summer camps for children with burn injuries have played an important rehabilitation role and provided a strong community that benefits both campers and staff. Future research using more rigorous research methods and examining a broader range of outcomes (eg, safety and medical/rehabilitation outcomes) is recommended.

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“…One of the goals of diabetes camping is to enable youth with diabetes to share their experiences with one another while becoming more personally responsible for their disease; this includes learning important lessons from counselors who themselves have diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2006). Diabetes camps have been associated with improvements in diabetes-related knowledge, self-management skills and adherence, as well as self-esteem among campers (Maslow & Lobato, 2009). Diabetes camps are often described as settings promoting Positive Youth Development (PYD).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Young Adult Counselors with Diabetes at Diabetes Camps: The Effect of Being a Peer Mentor on Counselors’ Health Behavior

Manning

Pollock

Clements

et al. 2018

JYD

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Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with type I diabetes (T1D) often struggle with illness management. Although diabetes camps have been shown to improve blood sugar control among campers, the effect of the camp experience on counselors' diabetes self-management has never been studied. In addition to the camp environment, it was hypothesized that peer factors among counselors, such as diabetes role modeling, would positively influence diabetes self-care behaviors and that counselors would be able to select diabetes role models based on these appropriate self-management behaviors. Counselors with T1D working at 2 summer camps were recruited to participate. Participants completed questionnaires including the Diabetes Behavior Rate Scale (DBRS) and a peer-assessment form in which participants were asked to nominate friends as diabetes role models, and to assign a role model score for each counselor. Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), a measure of blood sugar control, was obtained pre-and postcamp. Thirty-three participants completed the study. The average HbA1c score decreased 0.4% (p < .01) over the 6 to 10 weeks of camp indicating improved metabolic control at camp. The number of nominations for diabetes role model was associated with diabetes self-care (r = 0.351, p = 0.027). Diabetes role model scores were not associated with diabetes self-care (r = 0.272, p = 0.074). There was no correlation between HbA1c and diabetes self-care. The findings suggest that the camp counselor role is a potential target for intervention to promote positive outcomes for AYA with T1D. Lessons learned from how AYA with diabetes support one another at camp can be applied to community-based interventions for youth with T1D or other chronic illnesses.

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Diabetes summer camps: history, safety, and outcomes

Cited by 40 publications

References 36 publications

Positive Youth Development at Camps for Youth with Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Positive Youth Development at Camps for Youth with Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Summer Camps for Children With Burn Injuries: A Literature Review

Young Adult Counselors with Diabetes at Diabetes Camps: The Effect of Being a Peer Mentor on Counselors’ Health Behavior

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