Health-related and diabetes-related quality of life in Japanese children and adolescents with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to assess (i) the health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) of primary, junior and high school children with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and to compare it with that of healthy school children; and (ii) to compare the diabetes-related QOL (DR-QOL) and the QOL of parents of children with diabetes, between type 1 and type 2 diabetes in Japan.


METHODS
Overall, 471 patients aged 9-18 years (368 with type 1 and 103 with type 2 diabetes) and their parents were involved. QOL was assessed using a self-administered questionnaire.


RESULTS
The total score for HR-QOL of primary and junior school children with type 1 diabetes was significantly higher than that of those with type 2 diabetes and healthy controls. However, there were no significant differences in high school children. Some subscales regarding HR-QOL were significantly lower for children with type 2 diabetes than for children with type 1 diabetes or healthy controls. The DR-QOL of children with type 1 and type 2 diabetes did not significantly differ. The Family Burden and Family Involvement were significantly greater in parents of children with type 1 diabetes. There were significantly positive correlations between HR-QOL and DR-QOL in both groups. In type 1 diabetes only, there were significant negative correlations between glycated hemoglobin and some subscales of the HR-QOL and QOL of parents of children with diabetes, and weak positive correlation between glycated hemoglobin and Family Burden.


CONCLUSIONS
The HR-QOL of school children with type 1 diabetes was higher than that of those with type 2 diabetes and healthy school children. The QOL of school children with type 1 diabetes was not impaired.
Nakamura
Nobue
N
Department of Child Nursing, School of Nursing, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
Sasaki
Nozomu
N
Kida
Kaichi
K
Matsuura
Nobuo
N
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D055815:Young Adult