Aim:
We analyzed socioeconomic, happiness, and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data prior to a 6-week happiness intervention in 20 children diagnosed with TID(type 1 diabetes).
Background:
Prior research has documented the significant mental health comorbidities associated with TID, specifically in children and adolescence1, 2, 3.
Methods:
In this survey of twenty patients and their caregivers, we asked for demographic data, (zip code, individuals in the household, yearly income, and highest level of education of any caregiver). Continuous glucose monitoring(CGM) data for two weeks prior to the study start was collected. The Oxford Happiness Index (16years and over) and the Children’s Stirling Wellbeing Scale (under 16years) was used to collect the happiness status of both child participant and caregiver.
Results:
Several trends were identified regarding glucose variability over a 2-week period, identified at the correlation of variance(CV). Most significantly, both happiness index scores and yearly household income were correlated with the glucose fluctuation (CV) of collected CGM data. Patients with a CV of 27% or under had a significantly lower mean happiness index (M = 25.86) than the total sample of 20 participants (M = 75.035) (p < 0.001). Patients from families with a yearly household income of under $100,000 (M = 41.86) had a higher mean CV than the total sample (M = 37.02).
Conclusion:
This study’s findings demonstrate that lower self-reported mental health and socioeconomic status are correlated with increased glucose fluctuations. The data gathered from this study supports that a holistic view of a patient’s background and health is necessary to provide the most effective TID management care. While a larger population size is needed to make definitive conclusions, this highlights potential connections between mental health4, socioeconomic status5, and T1D management that can be employed on a case-by-case basis to formulate a patient-centered health plan in pediatrics.