Parents of Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: An Exploratory Study

University of Florida

Status: Completed

Conditions: Parents; Type1diabetes

Treatments: Behavioral: T1DToolkit.org mobile diabetes education

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03158415

13177 (Other Identifier)

IRB201700810

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to explore the lived experience of parents of young adults ages 18 to 25 years with type 1 diabetes who are transitioning to independence, and to test the preliminary efficacy of a mobile education program to reduce parental distress.

Full description

As young adults with T1D navigate the transition process to independence, they often do so in partnership with their parents, who are tasked with providing support and guidance. At this time, however, no structured education program exists for these parents. In addition, little is known about their learning needs, levels of distress, and readiness to provide appropriate guidance for their emerging adult children. This represents a gap in the literature and an opportunity to undertake exploratory research to learn more about this population so that meaningful education and support can be provided.

Aim 1. To describe the lived experience and diabetes-specific educational needs of parents of young adults with type 1 diabetes who are transitioning to independence.

Aim 2. To measure the effect of a mobile diabetes education program on diabetes distress levels of parents of young adults ages 18 to 25 years who are transitioning to independence.

Enrollment: 22 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 21 to 99 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• (1) Ability to read and speak English
• (2) parent of a child aged ≥18 years and ≤25 years with a diagnosis with T1D
• (3) must have access to a smartphone or tablet or laptop/desktop computer with internet access.

Exclusion criteria

• (1) Significant medical comorbidity in the participant that could, in the opinion of the PI, affect participant's capacity to complete study follow up;
• (2) inability to read and speak English.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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22 participants in 1 patient group

Parents of Young Adults with T1D

Experimental group

Description:

Parents of young adults ages 18 to 25 years with type 1 diabetes who are transitioning to independence. During six weeks, participants will receive a reminder via text and/or email twice per week to invite them to view diabetes education materials on the study's mobile website, T1DToolkit.org. Topics on this website include, among others, Caregiver Burnout; Your Child is Now an Adult; Sharing Responsibility; Sources of Support; Common Fears for Parents of Young Adults; and Your Child, Your Child's Doctor, and You.

Treatment:

Behavioral: T1DToolkit.org mobile diabetes education