Can parents' educational level and occupation affect perceived parental support and metabolic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes?

BACKGROUND/AIM: Parents have an important role to play in supporting adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Their education and occupation are important factors for the management of this disease. This study aimed to investigate the parental support that Iranian adolescents with T1DM experience and to examine the effect of parents' education and occupation on adolescents' perceived the parental support and metabolic control.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional survey. The participants were 98 adolescents (aged 11-18 years) with T1DM referred to Endocrinology Clinics of Shahid Rahimi and Shahid Madani hospitals in Khorramabad, Iran, in 2016. For evaluating the adolescents' perceptions of parental support, the family version of Diabetes Social Support Questionnaire was employed. It measures in five diabetic care areas (insulin administration, blood testing, meal planning, exercise, and emotional support). Data were analyzed in SPSS version 22 software using descriptive statistics and inferential tests including Pearson correlation test, ANOVA, and independent t-test.

RESULTS

The parents' educational level had a significant relationship with adolescents' perceived parental support and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level (P < 0.05). Occupation of father had no significant influence on his supportive behavior and HbA1c level in adolescents, but mother's occupation significantly influenced them (P < 0.05). In adolescents with higher perceived parental support, the mean HbA1c was lower.

CONCLUSIONS

Parents with higher educational level can improve the metabolic control and provide better meal planning in adolescents with T1DM.