ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Minerva Pediatrics 2021 April;73(2):159-66

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-5276.17.04634-5

Copyright © 2017 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

A structured therapeutic education program for children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: an analysis of the efficacy of the “Pediatric Education for Diabetes” project

Alessandra MAURI ¹, Susanna SCHMIDT ² ✉, Valentina SOSERO ¹, Maria SAMBATARO ³, Laura NOLLINO ³, Francesco FABRIS ⁴, Anna CORÒ ⁴, Antonella SCANTAMBURLO ³, Maria L. MARCON ³, Michela CAZZIOLA-MERLOTTO ³, Tania CIANI ³, Michele TESSARIN ⁵, Agostino PACCAGNELLA ³

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Psychological Consulting Service, Local Health Authority (ULSS 9), Treviso, Italy; ² Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; ³ Unit of Metabolic and Nutritional Diseases, Department of Specialist Diseases and Endocrinology, Local Health Authority (ULSS 9), Ca’ Foncello Hospital, Treviso, Italy; ⁴ Unit of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Local Health Authority (ULSS 9), Treviso, Italy; ⁵ General Management and Health, Local Health Authority (ULSS 9), Treviso, Italy

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic education for Type 1 Diabetes involves the process of transmitting knowledge and developing the skills and behavior required to treat the disease. guidelines agree on stressing the importance of therapeutic educational intervention in teaching self-management skills to children and adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). This study presents the results of the “Pediatric Education for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)” (PED) project, specifically designed for children and adolescents aged 6 to 16, and structured on guidelines indications, as part of a broader clinical-educational intervention for Type 1 diabetes.
METHODS: Twenty-four patients with Type 1 diabetes (mean age: 12,13 y; SD=1.48 y; range 9-14) were studied in a 12-month PED structured project followed by an educational summer camp. All the activities were designed and organized by a multidisciplinary team (dietitian, pediatric diabetologist, nurse, psychologist and adult diabetologist). Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), knowledge about Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) (self-monitoring and nutrition), self-management (self-monitoring, nutrition and flexibility of medical treatment), and wellbeing were used as outcome measures.
RESULTS: Data suggest that the PED had a positive impact on all the targeted levels indicated for recommended care.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study seem to confirm the effectiveness in altering the three levels of “knowing,” “know-how” and “wellbeing” required to optimize the quality of life of young patients with Type 1 diabetes. In addition, the proposed model, where a pediatric diabetologist always cooperates with an adult diabetologist, seems to be a permanent solution to the transitional gap widely discussed in the literature.

KEY WORDS: Diabetes mellitus, type 1; Therapeutics; Adolescent