Self-care agency and quality of life among Iranian adolescents with diabetes mellitus type 1

Background & Aim: Juvenile or type 1 diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic and endocrine disorder in childhood and adolescence that affects quality of life. On the other hand, self-care agency could be considered as a significant factor in improving the quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the self-care agency and quality of life among Iranian adolescents with diabetes mellitus type 1 referring to the Diabetes Center at Sina Hospital in Tabriz, Iran. Materials and Methods: In a descriptive correlation study, 120 diabetic adolescents were selected from a pool of referrals to the Diabetes Center at Sina Hospital affiliated to the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, using the convenience sampling process. Adolescents completed a demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire, the Diabetes-Specific Quality Of Life Brief Clinical Inventory (DQOL-BCI), as well as the Self-Care Appraisal Scale. Statistical analysis included Pearson correlation coefficient, independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA and linear regression. Data was analyzed by SPSS ver.16. Results: The mean score of quality of life and self-care agency was 32.14 (8.17) and 30.24 (8.64), respectively. There was a significant relationship between the quality of life and self-care agency (P<0.05). Furthermore, a significant correlation with some of the demographic and clinical characteristics was revealed (P<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the association between the quality of life and self-care agency in diabetic adolescents, researchers emphasize the need for planning diabetes education programs based on self-care training to improve the quality of life.