Psychological Impact of Type 1 Diabetes in Children Followed up at the Pediatrics Department of the Bouaké University Hospital

Introduction: Type 1 diabetes is a chronic disease whose daily management can cause stress and affect the child’s mental health. The aim of this study was to assess self-esteem, depression and emotional distress in diabetic children followed up at Bouaké University Hospital. Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted during a holiday camp organised for diabetic children. The variables studied were socio-demographic, clinical and psychological (Rosenberg self-esteem scale, Hamilton depression scale and Diabetes Distress Score). Factors associated with self-esteem, depression and emotional distress were investigated using Fisher’s exact test with a significance threshold of p Results: A total of 22 diabetic children were included. The male-to-female ratio was 0.47. Their mean age was 14.5 ± 3.3 years. The mean duration of the disease was 4.2 ± 3.2 years. The children were in secondary school (54.5%), lived in Bouaké (72.7%) and self-injected insulin (90.91%). Self-esteem was very high in 36.4% of cases. Depression was found in 69.2% and emotional distress in 72.4%. No factor was statistically associated with self-esteem, depression or emotional distress. Conclusion: Although the self-esteem of diabetic children is high overall, they show significant depression and emotional distress. Psychological support is crucial to improving their quality of life.