Health care to empower self-care in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus and an immigrant minority background

BACKGROUND The pediatric diabetes team aims to support health, quality of life, and normal growth and development among adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Adolescents with an immigrant background have been found less successful in self-care. Previous research indicated that adolescents who had integrated the disease as a part of their self-image reasoned differently about their self-care to those who had not. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to identify elements in the patient-pediatrician consultations that might influence such integration of the disease among adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus. METHODS A total of 12 pediatrician-adolescent consultations were video-recorded and analyzed. The adolescents all had an immigrant background. RESULTS Integration of the disease appeared enabled when responsibility was shared; when hope, autonomy, and emotions were confirmed; and when the pediatrician asked probing questions. Letting objective data dominate the adolescent's experiences, using risk as a motivator, neutralizing emotions in relation to having diabetes, and confirming forgetfulness, may instead inhibit disease integration. CONCLUSION An extended person-centered approach with focus on the adolescent's experiences of everyday life with a chronic disease and less attention on physical parameters in the pediatrician-adolescent consultations may increase integration of the disease.