Insulin Self-injection in School by Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

Park,  So Hyun; Kang,  Hee Sook; Hwang,  Seoun Young; Hwang,  Sun Hye; Shin,  Younglim; Lee,  Ji Eun

doi:2012.17.4.224

Ann Pediatr Endocrinol Metab > Volume 17(4); 2012 > Article

Original Article

Annals of Pediatric Endocrinology & Metabolism 2012;17(4): 224-229.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.6065/apem.2012.17.4.224

Insulin Self-injection in School by Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

So Hyun Park, Hee Sook Kang, Seoun Young Hwang, Sun Hye Hwang, Younglim Shin, Ji Eun Lee

¹Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea. anicca@inha.ac.kr
²Childrens Hospital School, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
³Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE
Patients with type 1 diabetes have difficulty controlling diabetes during adolescence. Active self-management of diabetes in school during adolescence is essential for type 1 diabetic adolescents to successfully adapt to school and shift toward a healthy adulthood. This research examined insulin self-injection in school by diabetic adolescents and the correlation between the control of blood sugar and school adaptation. METHOD: Forty adolescents (aged 10-18 years) who were receiving care for type 1 diabetes in pediatric divisions of two university hospitals in the Incheon and Bucheon area from July 2011 to May 2012 were surveyed.
RESULTS
Of the intense insulin treatment group (33/40), self-administration of insulin took place outside (22/33, 67%) and inside (11/33, 33%) restrooms. There was no significant difference in hemoglobin A1c between the two groups (P=0.7). 60% of those that had self-injected themselves within the restroom had not exposed their diabetes with more than 5 friends, while only 23% of those that had self-injected themselves outside the restroom had not exposed their diabetes with more than 5 friends, showing statistic significance between the two groups (P=0.02). There was also a significant difference in the frequency of experiencing depression: 91% for the group with self-injection in the restroom and 45% for the group with self-injection outside the restroom (P=0.02).
CONCLUSION
Thirty-three percent of diabetic adolescents administered insulin in the restroom. These diabetic adolescents were reluctant to discuss the disease with others and had a higher frequency of experiencing depression. Thus, schools need to provide active support and care for students with type 1 diabetes.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, type 1;Adolescent;Insulin;Schools