Purpose: The purpose of this review was to systematically identify, explore, and synthesize findings from primary qualitative studies on adolescents’ self-management experiences with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) following participation in a structured diabetes education program. Methods: Systematic searches were conducted in CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO without restrictions on publication dates or language. Any qualitative or mixed-methods studies reporting the self-management experience and/or perspectives of adolescents ages 10 to 24 with either T1DM or T2DM following participation in a structured diabetes education program were included. Tools from the Clinical Appraisal Skills Program were used to evaluate study quality, and thematic synthesis was employed to analyze the qualitative data. Results: Four studies focused on adolescents with T1DM were included, with no studies found addressing the experiences of adolescents with T2DM. Thematic synthesis revealed 6 analytical themes. Three themes related to experiences of T1DM self-management: (1) self-confidence in diabetes self-management, (2) improving diabetes self-management practice, and (3) coping with diabetes; three further themes related to the barriers and facilitators to T1DM self-management: (1) parents’ attitude and understanding of the condition, (2) peer support, and (3) communication with health care providers. Conclusion: Several factors were identified as valuable in helping adolescents with T1DM improve self-management adherence. However, evidence on self-management experiences after participating in a structured diabetes education program for adolescents with T2DM remains limited. There is urgent need for future research to find the best ways to support and empower young people in self-managing their diabetes through tailored education.
Saard et al. (Thu,) studied this question.