Adolescent Diabetes Management and Mismanagement
- Jill Weissberg-Benchell, PHD,
- Allen M Glasgow, MD,
- W Douglas Tynan, PHD,
- Philip Wirtz, PHD,
- Jane Turek, MSN, CDE and
- Joseph Ward, RN, CDE
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to Jill Weissberg-Benchell, Ph.D., Children's National Medical Center, Department of Endocrinology, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To document the existence and prevalence of adolescent-generated diabetes management techniques.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS One hundred forty-four adolescents completed the confidential questionnaire developed for this study. Glycohemo-globin was also obtained for each individual.
RESULTS Within the 10 days before their clinic visit, many adolescents admitted to engaging in various mismanagement behaviors, with 25% admitting to missing shots. Parents tend to underestimate adolescent mismanagement. Missing shots was significantly related to poor control (P < 0.01). Older adolescents engaged in more mismanagement than their younger cohorts (P < 0.001). The questionnaire factored into two subscales: blatant mismanagement and faking.
CONCLUSIONS This study shows the importance of recognizing the prevalence of mismanagement among adolescents.
- Received June 22, 1992.
- Revision received August 18, 1994.
- Accepted August 18, 1994.
- Copyright © 1995 by the American Diabetes Association
