Self-assessment of health-related quality of life in youth with type 1 Diabetes mellitus and comorbidities

In the Republic of Serbia, the incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in children grows by about 6% every year. In addition to destroying the β-cells of the pancreatic islets, the autoimmune process can affect other tissues in the child's body and lead to comorbidities. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of comorbidities and determine whether there are differences in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of youth with T1DM who have or do not have comorbidities. This research was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The Serbian version of EQ-5D-Y and KidScreen-27 were used to assess HRQOL. Other study variables include gender, age, duration of T1DM, the value of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c%), and the presence of comorbidities and they were collected from the electronic database. Our study confirms that youth with T1DM and comorbidities subjectively identify lower health scores, more frequent feelings of discomfort or anxiety, and reduced satisfaction with peer social support, which are determinants of HRQOL.