Experiences of adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Abstract

Background: Type 1 diabetes is a common chronic disease in adolescents and requires maturity, responsibility, acceptance, and constant care. Objectives: To understand how adolescents live with type 1 diabetes and describe their sociodemo-graphic profile. Methodology: A quantitative/qualitative exploratory, descriptive research was conducted with 61 adolescents diagnosed with type 1 diabetes who followed the Facebook page Diabética tipo Ruim. Results: The majority of the participants were male (78.68%), White (60.65%), students (80.16%), aged 15 to 18 years (60.65%), and lived in Southeastern Brazil (40.98%). They reported feelings of fear (31.66%), sadness (22.95%), and anger (14.75%) toward the diagnosis. Qualitative data were divided into three categories: Impact of the diagnosis of diabetes on the adolescents’ lives; Accepting the disease to live better; Family, friends, and health professionals as a support network. Conclusion: Diabetes has a major impact on the daily lives of adolescents, requiring self-care and a support network composed of family, friends, and health professionals.