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Open Access 12-04-2024 | Hypoglycemia | Original Article

Evaluation of the possible impact of the fear of hypoglycemia on diabetes management in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus and their parents: a cross-sectional study

Authors: Ourania Andreopoulou, Eirini Kostopoulou, Eleni Kotanidou, Sophia Daskalaki, Angeliki Vakka, Assimina Galli-Tsinopoulou, Bessie E Spiliotis

Published in: Hormones

Abstract

Purpose

Hypoglycemia represents a significant source of anxiety for children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and their caretakers. Fear of hypoglycemia (FoH) was measured in children and adolescents with T1DM as well as in their parents using an established research instrument, the Hypoglycemia Fear Survey (HFS).

Methods

This is a two-center, cross-sectional study involving 100 children and adolescents aged 6–18 years old diagnosed with T1DM. One parent of each child also participated in the study. The participants, who were recruited from two different pediatric endocrine outpatient clinics, were asked to complete the translated Greek version of the HFS, which includes one version for children (C-HFS) and one for parents (P-HFS). The association of the questionnaire responses with subjects’ characteristics, such as current age, age at diagnosis, duration of diabetes, HbA1c levels, and mode of diabetes treatment were assessed.

Results

Parents exhibited significantly higher mean HFS scores than their children. No significant correlation was found between the P-HFS or the C-HFS scores and the age of the children, duration of diabetes, HbA1c, or mode of treatment.

Conclusion

The finding that parents experience higher levels of FoH compared to their children emphasizes the importance of healthcare providers to screen parental FoH and focus on approaches to support them in order to reduce their psychological burden, thus optimizing children’s diabetes management.

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Title: Evaluation of the possible impact of the fear of hypoglycemia on diabetes management in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus and their parents: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ourania Andreopoulou
Eirini Kostopoulou
Eleni Kotanidou
Sophia Daskalaki
Angeliki Vakka
Assimina Galli-Tsinopoulou
Bessie E Spiliotis
Publication date: 12-04-2024
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Keywords: Hypoglycemia
Anxiety
Type 1 Diabetes
Published in: Hormones
Print ISSN: 1109-3099
Electronic ISSN: 2520-8721
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-024-00560-z

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