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AmJCaseRep

Quality of life in children aged 8–12 with diabetes treated with an insulin pump

Ewa Barczykowska, Anna Juszczak, Robert Ślusarz, Marta Grabinska, Andrzej Kurylak

Med Sci Tech 2011; 52(1-2): RA57-61

ID: 882077

Available online:

Published: 2011-10-28


Background:    The aim of this study was 1) to rate quality of life in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D), aged 8–12, and treated using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII); and 2) to determine if their perception of quality of their life varies from the perception of their healthy peers.
    Material/Methods:    We surveyed 48 children, aged 8–12, with T1D and receiving CSII, as well as their parents, at the Diabetologic Clinic at L. Perzyna Regional Polyclinic Hospital in Kalisz. The control group consisted of 50 healthy students of J. Kusocinski Primary School in Opatowek. A Polish version of the General Quality of Life Questionnaire 4.0 and the PedsQL Questionnaire’s Diabetes Module 3.0 (J. W. Varni) were used.
    Results:    Children with T1D using CSII therapy perceive a higher quality of life in the psychosocial sphere than their healthy counterparts. Parents in both examined groups ranked quality of life of their children decisively lower than the children themselves. The mean value of diabetic children’s psychosocial functioning ranked by their parents was to 77.60 points compared to 76.49 points ranked by their healthy peers’ parents.
    Conclusions:    Children with T1D using CSII rank their quality of life higher in the psychosocial area and lower in the physical area compared to their healthy peers. The need to control their activities does not cause a considerable burden for the studied diabetic children. Parents of healthy children and of diabetic children rank their children’s physical and psychosocial functioning lower than do the children themselves.

Keywords: children, insulin pumps, Quality of Life



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