Brief report: self-care behaviors of children with type 1 diabetes living in Puerto Rico.
OBJECTIVE
To examine self-care behaviors among children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes living in Puerto Rico, to determine the relationship between self-care and demographic variables, and to investigate the utility of the 24-hour recall interview within a Hispanic population.


METHODS
Forty-one children (M age = 12.6 years) with type 1 diabetes, and their mothers, were administered the 24-hour recall interview on three separate occasions to assess diabetes-related self-care behaviors.


RESULTS
Children reported self-care behaviors that included daily administration of an average of two insulin injections and two blood glucose tests, and consumption of 5.5 meals a day comprised of 52% carbohydrates and 29% fat. Younger age, female gender, longer illness duration, and better metabolic control were associated with higher rates of several self-care behaviors.


CONCLUSIONS
Data provide a first look at self-care behaviors of children with type 1 diabetes living in Puerto Rico and suggest the utility of the 24-hour recall interview within this population.
Streisand
Randi
R
Children's National Medical Center, Department of Psychology, Washington, District of Columbia 20010, USA. rstreis@cnmc.org
Respess
Deedrah
D
Overstreet
Stacy
S
Gonzalez de Pijem
Lilliam
L
Chen
Ru San
RS
Holmes
Clarissa
C
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012648:Self Care
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin