Know the factsOne study showed that 66% of children 12-18 were able to answer questions regarding basic knowledge of type one diabetes (Brosowska et al., 2013).
As for the parents, in a study that surveyed 120 parents of children with Type 1 Diabetes, the parents had a sufficient knowledge of most aspects of Type 1 Diabetes except for hyperglycemia—parents only answered 35% of the questions right regarding this section. Alongside this, parental level of education was tied to overall T1D knowledge (Albanyan et al., 2018). |
EnvironmentSocial Environment: A study of type 1 diabetes patients, and those who were biologically and socially similar, found that mothers who had a lower educational level were more likely to have children with type 1 diabetes. Alongside this, fathers who worked jobs requiring high levels of manual labor were more likely to have children affected with type 1 diabetes (Blom et al., 1989). It has also been found that going to daycare as a young child (up to 3 years old) inversely affects a child’s chance of being diagnosed with T1D. There is an inverse association between the number of days of daycare attended and the number of cases diagnosed—it has been hypothesized that this is due to increased contact with potential pathogens and other infections, which lead to development of the immune system (McKinney et al., 2000).
Physical Environment: A study of type 1 diabetes patients’ and the incidence of developing type one diabetes in Finland found that children living in rural heartland areas had a higher incidence for T1D than those living in any other area. A rural heartland is un-urbanized, usually central to agriculture, and in the continental area of a region (as compared to on the coast) (Rytkönen, 2003). |
PerceptionsParents often fear hyperglycemia in their children affected by T1D, out of fear that they, or their children, cannot effectively monitor the changes in blood. This can lead to anxiety when enrolling children in school, in sports, and when educating the children themselves on how to effectively monitor their own blood sugar (Barnard et al., 2010).
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Policies The area most regulated of Type 1 Diabetes is schools and daycares, as this is an integral part of the child’s life that the state may be involved in. Because of the Federal Regulation act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act, diabetes is considered a disability, and it is illegal for schools and/or day care centers to discriminate against children with disabilities. In addition, any school that receives federal funding or any facility considered open to the public must reasonably accommodate the special needs of children with diabetes. Indeed, federal law requires an individualized assessment of any child with diabetes” (American Diabetes Association, 2014).
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BiologyThe cause of T1D is unknown, but many genetic risk factors have been identified, mainly in the HLA genes of those affected. HLA genes play a key role in distinguishing cells that the immune system has to interact with. The exact cause of diabetes, however, is not known for certain (Genetics Home Reference, 2019).
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