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Background: Diabetes is a significant challenge for pediatric health care professionals because it affects youths’ psychoemotional functioning and, consequently, the quality of life (QOL). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the QOL in young patients with diabetes, as well as the factors affecting it. Methods: The study was conducted from April to September 2008 in 98 young patients, 11–18 years of age, who were under the supervision of Diabetological Center, General Pediatric Hospital (Athens, Greece). The Diabetes Quality of Life for Youths Questionnaire was used to evaluate the QOL of youths with diabetes. Results: The mean QOL score was 97.5. There was a negative correlation between the QOL and age (P = 0.02), the duration of diabetes (P = 0.05), body mass index (BMI; P = 0.04), and comorbidities (P = 0.03). In contrast, there was a positive correlation between QOL and increased metabolic control (P = 0.03), participating in sports activities (P = 0.007), and a greater number of insulin infusions (P = 0.04). Conclusions: The QOL of young diabetics was influenced by demographic, somatometric, and other characteristics of diabetes. Increased metabolic control, participating in sports activities, and a greater number of insulin infusions resulted in better QOL. Increased patient age, duration of diabetes, HbA1c values, BMI, and the coexistence of various health problems, as well as the use of an insulin pump, decreased QOL.

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate any possible negative effect of diabetes on the self-esteem of children and adolescents with diabetes. Methods: Self-esteem was evaluated using the Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory (CFSEI-2) in 144 patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM; 7–18 years of age) treated in a diabetes center and compared against that of 136 healthy children and adolescents. Results: Self-esteem was correlated with age (P = 0.017), but not with diabetes (P = 0.886). The median CFSEI-2 score for both healthy and diabetic children was 22. There was no significant correlation between self-esteem and sex, body mass index (BMI), physical exercise, HbA1c or parental educational level. According to Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (rs), there was a significant association between age and self-esteem (rs = −0.15). Conversely, although BMI (rs = −0.09) and treatment duration (rs = −0.107) had a slight negative effect on self-esteem and the duration of physical exercise (rs = 0.11) and parental education (rs = 0.07) seemed to have a positive effect, the associations did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Self-esteem in diabetic children is mainly affected by their age, level of physical activity and level of family support. These findings emphasize the need to discriminate between glycemic control and diabetic adjustment.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate any possible negative effect of diabetes on the self-esteem of children and adolescents with diabetes.Self-esteem was evaluated using the Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory (CFSEI-2) in 144 patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM; 7-18 years of age) treated in a diabetes center and compared against that of 136 healthy children and adolescents.Self-esteem was correlated with age (P = 0.017), but not with diabetes (P = 0.886). The median CFSEI-2 score for both healthy and diabetic children was 22. There was no significant correlation between self-esteem and sex, body mass index (BMI), physical exercise, HbA1c or parental educational level. According to Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (r(s)), there was a significant association between age and self-esteem (r(s) = -0.15). Conversely, although BMI (r(s) = -0.09) and treatment duration (r(s) = -0.107) had a slight negative effect on self-esteem and the duration of physical exercise (r(s) = 0.11) and parental education (r(s) = 0.07) seemed to have a positive effect, the associations did not reach statistical significance.Self-esteem in diabetic children is mainly affected by their age, level of physical activity and level of family support. These findings emphasize the need to discriminate between glycemic control and diabetic adjustment.