Abstract
Children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) need support at school to help them manage disease-related symptoms. This pilot study assessed children’s perceptions of their satisfaction with support from school nurses, teachers, and friends in their classrooms as well as the types of support they needed from each group. The sample consisted of children with T1D, attending a summer camp, and their parents. Findings indicated that children were satisfied with their support at school, but would like more support during after-school activities. Children who reported greater satisfaction with school support and had lower glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) had lower HbA1c at a 6-month follow-up. Children who reported greater sadness at having diabetes and who believed it was less fair that they had diabetes had higher HbA1c at 6-months. Other diabetes related attitudes were not related to glycemic control. Future research should continue to assess relations among support, including things that are not supportive at school, and disease management as well as continue to develop the Revised How is School Scale for use as a tool for developing individual medical plans at school.
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Notes
Twenty-three parents and children (39% of our sample) completed study measures at 6 months. A t-test assessing HbA1c at study entry for the 23 children completing the measures at both time points (M = 8.53, SD = 1.34) and the 58 children who completed the measures at study entry (M = 8.31, SD = 1.21) was not significant.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Carrie Shuetz and Dr. Terry Andreone for their assistance with this project.
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Appendix
Appendix
How is School Going Survey
Directions: These questions focus, in some way, on the support you are getting at school. If you and your parents agree to do this survey, fill it out and send it back in the stamped and addressed envelope in this packet. If you send back the survey, this means that you are volunteering this information to help us learn about support you are getting for your diabetes at school. Thanks!
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Lehmkuhl, H., Nabors, L. Children with Diabetes: Satisfaction with School Support, Illness Perceptions and HbA1C Levels. J Dev Phys Disabil 20, 101–114 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-007-9082-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-007-9082-4