Psychosocial Functioning in Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes

Overview

Background: The often studied psychosocial correlates that relate to health outcomes in adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) are factors such as self-efficacy, depression, distress, quality of life, and adherence. These psychosocial factors are not well-studied within a young adult (YA) population and the parents of YAs during the transition planning phase. Impact: This study aids program development for pre-transfer educational interventions to ensure more successful post-transfer health outcomes from both a patient and parent perspective. Methods: This longitudinal study is designed to characterize the psychosocial factors relevant for a population of YA with T1D. Data analyses of these psychosocial and transition readiness variables allow for understanding of prospective health outcomes for young adults with T1D during the transition process. Implications/Future Directions: From a clinical perspective, the outcomes of this feasibility study will be two-fold: (1) establish which of the clinical measures used in the study are related to meaningful health outcomes in this young adult population in order to determine future standardized assessments in the Diabetes Center and (2) determine which psychosocial constructs are relevant to health outcomes to then more fully develop the Diabetes Center's transition program interventions to improve functioning clinic-wide (e.g., group day sessions). Finally, it would be attractive to various National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorder (NIDDK) grant mechanisms to identify the relevant psychosocial measures that assess the psychosocial functioning of YA with diabetes after they transfer to adult care.

The purpose of this study is to assess how psychosocial functioning and transition readiness (health knowledge and self-reported health-related skills) of young adults (aged 18-24) with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) and their parents impact health outcomes before they transition to adult diabetes care. Transition of health care from pediatric to adult care systems is a complex process and is often a challenge for young adults. These transition barriers lead to gaps in healthcare, worsening of glycemic control, and increased hospitalizations/emergency room utilization. Initial program development efforts to prepare young adults for transition were developed at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) based on best practice recommendations in the literature. The psychosocial correlates of health outcomes in this population are not well studied, though. Nor is it known whether these diabetes education interventions impact transition to adult care over time. The investigators will study how psychosocial factors (e.g., self-efficacy, depression, distress, quality of life, adherence, and risky behaviors) impact health outcomes (e.g., glycemic control) over a one year period, within the context of the current diabetes education transition program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) for young adults with T1D and their parents.