title: Factors influencing the quality of life of young patients with diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetes is a significant challenge for pediatric health care professionals because it affects youths' psychoemotional functioning and, consequently, the quality of life (QOL). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the QOL in young patients with diabetes, as well as the factors affecting it.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted from April to September 2008 in 98 young patients, 11-18 years of age, who were under the supervision of Diabetological Center, General Pediatric Hospital (Athens, Greece). The Diabetes Quality of Life for Youths Questionnaire was used to evaluate the QOL of youths with diabetes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean QOL score was 97.5. There was a negative correlation between the QOL and age (P = 0.02), the duration of diabetes (P = 0.05), body mass index (BMI; P = 0.04), and comorbidities (P = 0.03). In contrast, there was a positive correlation between QOL and increased metabolic control (P = 0.03), participating in sports activities (P = 0.007), and a greater number of insulin infusions (P = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The QOL of young diabetics was influenced by demographic, somatometric, and other characteristics of diabetes. Increased metabolic control, participating in sports activities, and a greater number of insulin infusions resulted in better QOL. Increased patient age, duration of diabetes, HbA1c values, BMI, and the coexistence of various health problems, as well as the use of an insulin pump, decreased QOL.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Matziou
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsoumakas
authors.forename: Efrosyni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vlahioti
authors.forename: Leukothea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chrysicopoulou
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galanis
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petsios
authors.forename: Pantelis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perdikaris
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006115:Greece; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin