Glycaemic risk assessment in children and young people with Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Journal article

AIM: To ascertain if those with diabetes (and their carers) ascribe a similar level of risk to blood glucose control as healthcare professionals. METHODS: We used a structured questionnaire to ask fifty healthcare professionals how 'dangerous' a given blood glucose value was. Their answers were modelled to produce an algorithm of assessed risk. To examine if patients (and their carers) would apportion a similar level of risk to that of healthcare professionals, the same questionnaire was issued to fifty children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes. For patients under 8 years old the carers completed the questionnaires (n = 23). Both patient and carers together completed the questionnaire for those aged 8-11 years (n = 15) and patients over the age of 11 years completed the questionnaire themselves (n = 12). The median results and interquartile range of the assessed level of risk, as determined by the two groups, were compared using a generalized linear model. RESULTS: A significant difference (P < 0.0001) was identified between the median risk assessments of the two groups. The zero level of assessed risk was upward shifted in the patient group by 0.8 mmol/l and indicated the patients' view of risk increased. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with Type 1 diabetes (and their carers) evaluate the risk from blood glucose values differently from healthcare professionals. The euglycaemic state (zero ascribed risk) that patients chose was 0.8 mmol/l greater than that of healthcare professionals, indicating, perhaps, hypoglycaemia avoidance, a more pragmatic approach or less exposure to current trends in glycaemic control.

Authors: Hill, N; Thompson, B; Bruce, J; Matthews, DR; Hindmarsh, P

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association
• Volume: 26
• Issue: 7
• Pages: 740-743
• Publication date: 2009-07-01
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2009.02763.x
• EISSN: 1464-5491
• ISSN: 0742-3071
• Language: English
• Keywords: Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Female; Male; Questionnaires; Child; Adolescent; Humans; Blood Glucose; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Risk Assessment