The Interrelationship of Diabetes Distress and Glycemic Outcomes Over Time in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes

During the teenage years, young people with consistently high diabetes distress (DD) or with DD that increased over time showed increases in HbA1c. Findings suggest that high DD is common, and may be a particularly important target for supporting adolescents with type 1 diabetes in obtaining glycemic goals.

Key Points

· Adolescents struggle with meeting glycemic targets and often experience diabetes distress (DD). This article aimed to identify risk factors for DD and to assess the relationship between patterns of DD change and glycemic outcomes.

· DD was common in this sample, with females endorsing more DD than males. Over time, adolescents with worsening DD or persistently elevated DD at 18 months experienced rising A1C levels.

· The findings demonstrate the interrelationship of DD and glycemic outcomes; researchers and clinicians should consider addressing DD to optimize glycemic outcomes for adolescents with type 1 diabetes.