Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) is a chronic illness that requires intensive treatment to improve glycemic control and limit the risk of diabetes-related complications. The management of T1DM is challenging for adolescents as the diabetes self-care activities invade all aspects of their life. Older adolescents frequently have poor glycemic control which places them at increased risk for diabetes-related complications.
Study Aim:The goal of this study was to explore diabetes self-care practices among older adolescents, 15 through 18 years old, with T1DM. Specifically, this study sought to determine if there was a difference in diabetes self-care practices between adolescents who exhibited good (HbA1c < 9%) versus poor (HbA1c > 9%) glycemic control.
Study Design:This study used an exploratory, focus group design to gain a better understanding of diabetes self-care among older adolescents and how they integrate diabetes self-care activities into their lives. Six focus groups were conducted and adolescents (n = 21) participated in either a good (HbA1c < 9%, n = 13) or poor (HbA1c > 9%, n = 8) control focus group according to their reported HbA1c.
Results: Inductive analysis revealed 17 themes for adolescents in good control and 16 themes for those with poor glycemic control which were categorized as life with
T1DM; diabetes self-care; interactions with parents, teachers/coaches, or others; or interactions with the healthcare team.
Nursing Implications:Understanding the older adolescent's views about having diabetes and incorporation or lack thereof of diabetes self-care provides valuable information for nurses to develop a trusting relationship with them which may assist with improvement of glycemic control.
Conclusions: Teens with good control believed they were stronger than the disease and that diabetes self-care is something they have to do to feel good physically. In contrast, teens with poor control often forgot to perform diabetes self-care activities and had to adjust their lifestyle to fit their chronic hyperglycemia. Teens in good control have accepted the disease and diabetes self-care as part of their identity where teens in poor control described having diabetes and its self-care activities as a burden and something that made them different from their peers.
","abstract_html":"<p>Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) is a chronic illness that requires intensive treatment to improve glycemic control and limit the risk of diabetes-related complications. The management of T1DM is challenging for adolescents as the diabetes self-care activities invade all aspects of their life. Older adolescents frequently have poor glycemic control which places them at increased risk for diabetes-related complications.</p><p>Study Aim:The goal of this study was to explore diabetes self-care practices among older adolescents, 15 through 18 years old, with T1DM. Specifically, this study sought to determine if there was a difference in diabetes self-care practices between adolescents who exhibited good (HbA1c < 9%) versus poor (HbA1c > 9%) glycemic control.</p><p>Study Design:This study used an exploratory, focus group design to gain a better understanding of diabetes self-care among older adolescents and how they integrate diabetes self-care activities into their lives. Six focus groups were conducted and adolescents (n = 21) participated in either a good (HbA1c < 9%, n = 13) or poor (HbA1c > 9%, n = 8) control focus group according to their reported HbA1c.</p><p>Results: Inductive analysis revealed 17 themes for adolescents in good control and 16 themes for those with poor glycemic control which were categorized as life with</p><p>T1DM; diabetes self-care; interactions with parents, teachers/coaches, or others; or interactions with the healthcare team.</p><p>Nursing Implications:Understanding the older adolescent's views about having diabetes and incorporation or lack thereof of diabetes self-care provides valuable information for nurses to develop a trusting relationship with them which may assist with improvement of glycemic control.</p><p>Conclusions: Teens with good control believed they were stronger than the disease and that diabetes self-care is something they have to do to feel good physically. In contrast, teens with poor control often forgot to perform diabetes self-care activities and had to adjust their lifestyle to fit their chronic hyperglycemia. Teens in good control have accepted the disease and diabetes self-care as part of their identity where teens in poor control described having diabetes and its self-care activities as a burden and something that made them different from their peers.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Zinn, Kelly K."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Nursing","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:55:23Z","subjects":["adolescent","diabetes self-care","exploratoy","focus group","type 1 diabetes","Nursing"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss_6mos/10","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Zinn, Kelly K."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2012-07-01T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Nursing"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["adolescent","diabetes self-care","exploratoy","focus group","type 1 diabetes","Nursing"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss_6mos/10"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) is a chronic illness that requires intensive treatment to improve glycemic control and limit the risk of diabetes-related complications. The management of T1DM is challenging for adolescents as the diabetes self-care activities invade all aspects of their life. Older adolescents frequently have poor glycemic control which places them at increased risk for diabetes-related complications.
Study Aim:The goal of this study was to explore diabetes self-care practices among older adolescents, 15 through 18 years old, with T1DM. Specifically, this study sought to determine if there was a difference in diabetes self-care practices between adolescents who exhibited good (HbA1c < 9%) versus poor (HbA1c > 9%) glycemic control.
Study Design:This study used an exploratory, focus group design to gain a better understanding of diabetes self-care among older adolescents and how they integrate diabetes self-care activities into their lives. Six focus groups were conducted and adolescents (n = 21) participated in either a good (HbA1c < 9%, n = 13) or poor (HbA1c > 9%, n = 8) control focus group according to their reported HbA1c.
Results: Inductive analysis revealed 17 themes for adolescents in good control and 16 themes for those with poor glycemic control which were categorized as life with
T1DM; diabetes self-care; interactions with parents, teachers/coaches, or others; or interactions with the healthcare team.
Nursing Implications:Understanding the older adolescent's views about having diabetes and incorporation or lack thereof of diabetes self-care provides valuable information for nurses to develop a trusting relationship with them which may assist with improvement of glycemic control.
Conclusions: Teens with good control believed they were stronger than the disease and that diabetes self-care is something they have to do to feel good physically. In contrast, teens with poor control often forgot to perform diabetes self-care activities and had to adjust their lifestyle to fit their chronic hyperglycemia. Teens in good control have accepted the disease and diabetes self-care as part of their identity where teens in poor control described having diabetes and its self-care activities as a burden and something that made them different from their peers.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An Exploration of Diabetes Self-Care Among Older Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: A Focus Group Study"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Zinn, Kelly K."],"dc:date.available":["2012-07-01T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) is a chronic illness that requires intensive treatment to improve glycemic control and limit the risk of diabetes-related complications. The management of T1DM is challenging for adolescents as the diabetes self-care activities invade all aspects of their life. Older adolescents frequently have poor glycemic control which places them at increased risk for diabetes-related complications.
Study Aim:The goal of this study was to explore diabetes self-care practices among older adolescents, 15 through 18 years old, with T1DM. Specifically, this study sought to determine if there was a difference in diabetes self-care practices between adolescents who exhibited good (HbA1c < 9%) versus poor (HbA1c > 9%) glycemic control.
Study Design:This study used an exploratory, focus group design to gain a better understanding of diabetes self-care among older adolescents and how they integrate diabetes self-care activities into their lives. Six focus groups were conducted and adolescents (n = 21) participated in either a good (HbA1c < 9%, n = 13) or poor (HbA1c > 9%, n = 8) control focus group according to their reported HbA1c.
Results: Inductive analysis revealed 17 themes for adolescents in good control and 16 themes for those with poor glycemic control which were categorized as life with
T1DM; diabetes self-care; interactions with parents, teachers/coaches, or others; or interactions with the healthcare team.
Nursing Implications:Understanding the older adolescent's views about having diabetes and incorporation or lack thereof of diabetes self-care provides valuable information for nurses to develop a trusting relationship with them which may assist with improvement of glycemic control.
Conclusions: Teens with good control believed they were stronger than the disease and that diabetes self-care is something they have to do to feel good physically. In contrast, teens with poor control often forgot to perform diabetes self-care activities and had to adjust their lifestyle to fit their chronic hyperglycemia. Teens in good control have accepted the disease and diabetes self-care as part of their identity where teens in poor control described having diabetes and its self-care activities as a burden and something that made them different from their peers.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss_6mos/10"],"dc:subject":["adolescent","diabetes self-care","exploratoy","focus group","type 1 diabetes","Nursing"],"dc:title":["An Exploration of Diabetes Self-Care Among Older Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: A Focus Group Study"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Nursing"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:55:23Z"}