Self-Management Experiences of Adolescents With Diabetes Mellitus After Participating in a Structured Diabetes Education Program: A Qualitative Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis.
The purpose of this review was to systematically identify, explore, and synthesize findings from primary qualitative studies on adolescents' self-management experiences with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) following participation in a structured diabetes education program.
Systematic searches were conducted in CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO without restrictions on publication dates or language. Any qualitative or mixed-methods studies reporting the self-management experience and/or perspectives of adolescents ages 10 to 24 with either T1DM or T2DM following participation in a structured diabetes education program were included. Tools from the Clinical Appraisal Skills Program were used to evaluate study quality, and thematic synthesis was employed to analyze the qualitative data.
Four studies focused on adolescents with T1DM were included, with no studies found addressing the experiences of adolescents with T2DM. Thematic synthesis revealed 6 analytical themes. Three themes related to experiences of T1DM self-management: (1) self-confidence in diabetes self-management, (2) improving diabetes self-management practice, and (3) coping with diabetes; three further themes related to the barriers and facilitators to T1DM self-management: (1) parents' attitude and understanding of the condition, (2) peer support, and (3) communication with health care providers.
Several factors were identified as valuable in helping adolescents with T1DM improve self-management adherence. However, evidence on self-management experiences after participating in a structured diabetes education program for adolescents with T2DM remains limited. There is urgent need for future research to find the best ways to support and empower young people in self-managing their diabetes through tailored education.
Systematic searches were conducted in CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO without restrictions on publication dates or language. Any qualitative or mixed-methods studies reporting the self-management experience and/or perspectives of adolescents ages 10 to 24 with either T1DM or T2DM following participation in a structured diabetes education program were included. Tools from the Clinical Appraisal Skills Program were used to evaluate study quality, and thematic synthesis was employed to analyze the qualitative data.
Four studies focused on adolescents with T1DM were included, with no studies found addressing the experiences of adolescents with T2DM. Thematic synthesis revealed 6 analytical themes. Three themes related to experiences of T1DM self-management: (1) self-confidence in diabetes self-management, (2) improving diabetes self-management practice, and (3) coping with diabetes; three further themes related to the barriers and facilitators to T1DM self-management: (1) parents' attitude and understanding of the condition, (2) peer support, and (3) communication with health care providers.
Several factors were identified as valuable in helping adolescents with T1DM improve self-management adherence. However, evidence on self-management experiences after participating in a structured diabetes education program for adolescents with T2DM remains limited. There is urgent need for future research to find the best ways to support and empower young people in self-managing their diabetes through tailored education.