TY - JOUR
T1 - A Novel Behavioral Intervention in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Improves Glycemic Control
T2 - Preliminary Results From a Pilot Randomized Control Trial
AU - Maranda, Louise
AU - Lau, May
AU - Stewart, Sunita M.
AU - Gupta, Olga T.
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was supported by grant 5-R03-HD071263-02 from the National Institute of Child Health and Development, a grant from Partnerships for Cure, and a gift from the Dedman Family.
PY - 2015/4
Y1 - 2015/4
N2 - Purpose The purpose of this study was to develop and pilot-test an innovative behavioral intervention in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) incorporating structured care of a pet to improve glycemic control. Twenty-eight adolescents with A1C > 8.5% (69 mmol/mol) were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (care of a Betta splendens pet fish) or the control group (usual care). Adolescents in the intervention group were given instructions to associate daily and weekly fish care duties with diabetes self-management tasks, including blood glucose testing and parent-adolescent communication. After 3 months, the participants in the intervention group exhibited a statistically significant decrease in A1C level (−0.5%) compared with their peers in the control group, who had an increase in A1C level (0.8%) (P =.04). The younger adolescents (10-13 years of age) demonstrated a greater response to the intervention, which was statistically significant (−1.5% vs 0.6%, P =.04), compared with the older adolescents (14-17 years of age). Structured care of a pet fish can improve glycemic control in adolescents with T1DM, likely by providing cues to perform diabetes self-management behaviors.
AB - Purpose The purpose of this study was to develop and pilot-test an innovative behavioral intervention in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) incorporating structured care of a pet to improve glycemic control. Twenty-eight adolescents with A1C > 8.5% (69 mmol/mol) were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (care of a Betta splendens pet fish) or the control group (usual care). Adolescents in the intervention group were given instructions to associate daily and weekly fish care duties with diabetes self-management tasks, including blood glucose testing and parent-adolescent communication. After 3 months, the participants in the intervention group exhibited a statistically significant decrease in A1C level (−0.5%) compared with their peers in the control group, who had an increase in A1C level (0.8%) (P =.04). The younger adolescents (10-13 years of age) demonstrated a greater response to the intervention, which was statistically significant (−1.5% vs 0.6%, P =.04), compared with the older adolescents (14-17 years of age). Structured care of a pet fish can improve glycemic control in adolescents with T1DM, likely by providing cues to perform diabetes self-management behaviors.
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U2 - 10.1177/0145721714567235
DO - 10.1177/0145721714567235
M3 - Article
C2 - 25614529
AN - SCOPUS:84926213212
SN - 0145-7217
VL - 41
SP - 224
EP - 230
JO - The Diabetes Educator
JF - The Diabetes Educator
IS - 2
ER -