Quality Of Life In Young People Research Articles

Satisfaction with continuous glucose monitoring is associated with quality of life in young people with type 1 diabetes regardless of metabolic control and treatment type.

While continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and associated technologies have positive effects on metabolic control in young people with type 1 diabetes (T1D), less is known about their impact on quality of life (QoL). Here, we quantified CGM satisfaction and QoL in young people with T1D and their parents/caregivers to establish (i) the relationship between QoL and CGM satisfaction and (ii) the impact of the treatment regimen on QoL. This was a cross-sectional study of children and adolescents with T1D on different treatment regimens (multiple daily injections, sensor-augmented pumps and automated insulin delivery). QoL was assessed with the KINDL instrument, and CGM satisfaction with the CGM-SAT questionnaire was evaluated in both youths with T1D and their parents. Two hundred and ten consecutively enrolled youths with T1D completed the KINDL and CGM-SAT questionnaires. The mean total KINDL score was greater than neutral in both subjects with T1D (3.99 ± 0.47) and parents (4.06 ± 0.40), and lower overall CGM-SAT scores (i.e., higher satisfaction) were significantly associated with higher QoL in all six KINDL subscales (p < 0.05). There were no differences in KINDL scores according to delivery technology or when participants were grouped according to optimal and sub-optimal glucose control. Higher satisfaction with recent CGMs was associated with better QoL in all dimensions. QoL was independent of both the insulin delivery technology and glycaemic control. CGM must be further disseminated. Attention on perceived satisfaction with CGM should be incorporated with the clinical practice to improve the well-being of children and adolescents with T1D and their families.

Cyberbullying, metacognition, and quality of life: preliminary findings from the Longitudinal Adolescent Brain Study (LABS)

Cyberbullying contributes to poor mental health outcomes and quality of life (QoL), and peer victimisation has been shown to be positively associated with both positive and negative metacognition. Whilst metacognitive beliefs are associated with pathological worry, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, and rumination in depression, research is yet to examine whether metacognitive beliefs influence negative outcomes, such as reduced QoL, associated with experiences of cyberbullying. This study examines whether cybervictimisation, cyberbullying and metacognition play predictive roles in QoL, and if metacognition mediates any association between cybervictimisation, cyberbullying and QoL over time. Participants in the Longitudinal Adolescent Brain Study (LABS), aged 12 years and in grade 7, who had completed up to four assessment time-points (T) were included in this analysis: T1: N = 65; T2: N = 61; T3: N = 56; T4: N = 44. Structural equation modeling revealed significant associations between cyberbullying, cybervictimisation, metacognitive beliefs, and QoL. However, mediation analysis showed that only cognitive confidence acted as a partial mediator between cybervictimisation and QoL. The results suggest those who were more frequently cybervictimised had reduced confidence in their memory, which resulted in lower QoL. In addition, uncontrollability/danger and superstition, punishment, and responsibility were all negatively associated with QoL, indicating that as these metacognitive beliefs increased, QoL decreased. Our findings highlight the detrimental impact that cybervictimisation experiences can have on QoL in young people over time, and that some forms of metacognitive beliefs can also impact QoL. These findings can inform educators and health professionals on the importance of metacognition in regard to QoL over time, particularly in those who experience cybervictimisation.

Implementing a weight-specific quality-of-life tool for young people in primary health care: a qualitative study.

BackgroundObesity is thought to be one of the most serious global public health challenges of the 21st century. The primary care setting is important in terms of the diagnosis, education, and management of obesity in children and young people. This study explored the views of primary care clinicians on the implementation of a quality-of-life (QoL) tool to help young people and their families identify the impact of weight on QoL.AimTo assess the acceptability and feasibility of implementing the Weight-specific Adolescent Instrument for Economic-evaluation (WAItE) QoL tool for young people aged 11–18 years in primary care.Design & settingQualitative study in Northern England, UKMethodOne-to-one, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of primary healthcare clinicians working in practices located in areas of varying deprivation in Northern England, UK. Interview transcripts were coded and analysed using framework analysis in NVivo (version 10).ResultsParticipants (n = 16 GPs; n = 4 practice nurses) found the WAItE tool acceptable for them and their patients, and believed it was feasible for use in routine clinical practice. It was important to primary care clinicians that the tool would provide an overall QoL score that would be easy for GPs and nurses to interpret, to help them identify patients most in need of specialist help.ConclusionThis study has developed a platform for further research around QoL in young people who are overweight and obese. A future feasibility study will focus on implementing the tool in a small number of primary healthcare practices.

Perceived stress mediates the relationship between social adaptation and quality of life in individuals at ultra high risk of psychosis.

Quality of life (QoL) and social functioning have emerged as good predictors of the outcome of psychotic disorders. Poor QoL and social functioning are usually present before the onset of the first episode of psychosis. Our study aimed to explore the relationship between social adaptation and QoL in young people at risk of psychosis (ultra-high-risk, UHR) and healthy controls (HCs), and to investigate potential mediating effects of stress measures (perceived stress, stressful life events). The study included 55 UHR subjects and 40 HC. Social functioning was assessed with the Social Adaptation Self-evaluation Scale (SASS). Stress measures included the assessment of stressful life events and perceived stress. We compared stress and QoL measures between UHR and HC, and also compared UHR with low or normal social adaptation. A mediation analysis was performed to explore whether stress measures mediated the relationship between social adaptation and QoL. UHR were less frequently employed and reported more stress, poorer QoL and lower social adaptation than HC. QoL and social adaptation were associated with stress measures. UHR with low social adaptation reported more perceived stress and less QoL than UHR with normal social adaptation and HC. Perceived stress mediated the relationship between social adaptation and QoL. Social adaptation is less developed in UHR subjects than in healthy subjects and has a negative impact on quality of life. This association is mediated by perceived stress.

“She's Trying Her Best, Even Though She Gets on My Nerves”: Diabetes and the Caregiver-Child Relationship in Jamaica

Diabetes affects ~ 1.2% of Jamaicans between the ages of 15 and 24 years.1 For young people, diabetes care begins in the family; parents' involvement can improve weight management, blood glucose monitoring, glycemic control, and adherence.2–4 These positive outcomes are most likely in cohesive families whose members communicate well, agree on individual responsibilities, behave supportively, and solve problems together.5–7 There are many sources of diabetes-related conflict, however. Arguments over food, blood glucose testing, and exercise are the most common.8–11 At the root of tensions are the negotiation of children's autonomy as adolescents; differing opinions on each party's role; children's irritation at parents' frequent reminders, lack of knowledge, and scepticism of their ability to manage diabetes; and parents' frustration with nonadherence.5,9,11–15 These struggles have serious repercussions; conflict compromises family cohesion, adherence and control, intra-family communication, and the quality of life (QOL) and physical and psychosocial functioning of parents and children.5,7,16–18 There are limited data on Jamaican youth living with diabetes. A cross-sectional study found that young people's QOL was most affected by issues related to diabetes control, anxiety, and worry.19 Researchers also found that most of these youth had poor glycemic control, even with access to specialist services and subsidized medications.20 The present study, based on focus groups with youths and their caregivers, is the first of its kind. Most of the published Jamaican diabetes research has been quantitative and has focused on adults, investigating risk factors, self-care practices, and the burden of disease and its complications.21–23 Although quantitative research measures associations between behaviors and attitudes and health outcomes, qualitative research allows in-depth exploration of the dynamics of these behaviors and attitudes. …

Clinical correlates of quality of life in Tourette syndrome

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder involving tics, which is frequently accompanied by comorbid obsessive compulsive (OCD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Individuals with TS often report poor quality of life (QoL) in comparison with the general population. This study investigated the clinical correlates of QoL in young people with TS using a self-report multidimensional QoL measure, and a range of clinical scales used to assess tic severity and the symptoms of anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD and other emotional and behavioral symptoms. Symptoms of depression, OCD, and ADHD appeared to have a widespread negative impact on QoL, but poorer QoL was not associated with increased tic severity. Greater emotional and behavioral difficulties, including symptoms of OCD, were among the best predictors of poor QoL in young people with TS.