Investigation of the effect of COVID 19 outbreak in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus using insulin infusion pump on the quality of life in patients and caregivers

INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF COVID 19 OUTBREAK IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS USING INSULIN INFUSION PUMP ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS Objectives: This study was conducted to examine the effects of the Covid-19 epidemic on the quality of life in patients and caregivers in children and adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) using insulin infusion pumps. Methods: The study was conducted with the participation of 61 children and adolescents aged 6-18 with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus using insulin infusion pumps, who were followed up by the Endocrine Department of Düzce Medical School Hospital between January 2020 and July 2020. The KINDL Quality of Life Scale was used for children and adolescents, while the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale was used for adults. The sleep quality of the children was evaluated by adding a question to measure the sleep quality at the end of the KINDL questionnaire. Socio-demographic information of the patients was obtained from the hospital information system. Results: Of the patients included, 38 (62.3%) were girls, 35 (57.4%) were adolescents, and 29 (47.5%) were studying at secondary school. The average age of the patients was 12.7±2.9 years, the average duration of diabetes was 6.3±2.5 years, and the average duration of ınsulin pump usage was 3.2±1.8 years. Of the patients, 56 (91.8%) lived with their families, all had alive parents, the income level was medium, the father was the family income source in 38 (62.3%), and 45 (73.8%) had no chronic diseases in the family. No statistically significant difference was found between the sleep conditions of the patients and their caregivers before and during the pandemic period (p>0.05). A statistically significant difference was found in the HbA1C levels of the patients before and during the pandemic process (p<0.05). In the correlation analysis conducted to determine the relationship between the patients' KINDL quality of life and the caregivers', it was noticed that Children's quality of life subscales were positively correlated with their parents' quality of life both before and during the pandemic process. Conclusion: Diabetes Mellitus reduces the quality of life of children and families. Furthermore, the addition of acute epidemics like Covid-19 on diabetes affected the quality of life more adversely. Providing psychological support to individuals during pandemic and in the process of chronic diseases, delivering adequate and high-quality preventive health services, offering the necessary training for diabetes and increasing their sociocultural level improves their quality of life. Keywords: Child, parent, adolescent, diabetes mellitus, quality of life, pandemic, Covid-19, KINDL Quality of Life Scala, WHO Quality of Life Scala