22217471

PMC4793715

Objective

We evaluated how adolescents with or at risk for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and their parent/guardians (parents) perceive adolescents’ health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Study Design

We interviewed overweight/obese, 12–18-year-old youth with T2DM, prediabetes, or insulin resistance (IR) and one parent from 5 US sites. Assessments included Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL), Health Utilities Index (HUI3), family conflict and diabetes burden.

Results

Among 108 adolescents, diagnoses included 40.7% T2DM, 25.0% prediabetes, and 34.3% IR. PedsQL summary score (SS) was higher among adolescents vs. parents (p=0.02). Parents rated physical functioning lower than adolescents (p<0.0001), but there were no differences in psychosocial health. Adolescent PedsQL SS did not differ by diagnosis but was inversely associated with adolescent BMI z-score (p=0.0004) and family conflict (p<0.0001) and associated with race/ethnicity (p<0.0001). Number of adolescent comorbidities (p=0.007) and burden of diabetes care (p<0.05) were inversely associated with parent PedsQL SS (p<0.05). There were no differences in HUI3.

Conclusions

Parents perceive their adolescents’ physical functioning as more impaired than adolescents themselves. Contextual factors including severity of obesity, race/ethnicity, family conflict and burden of diabetes care influence HRQOL. Family-based approaches to treatment and prevention of T2DM may benefit from increased attention to the biopsychosocial context.

CDC Public Access

K01 DP000089/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHS/United States
K01DP000089/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHS/United States
K24DK082730/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/United States