Impact of Covid-19 on children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: lifestyle, telecommunication service, and quality of life.

Abstract

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic brought about major changes, such as lifestyle changes, modification in telecommunication, as well as increased mental and psychological burden. This has raised concerns regarding its impact on the quality of life of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. To detect the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes in terms of lifestyle changes and telecommunication service using a predesigned questionnaire, as well as quality of life using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL).

Methods: A cross-sectional study including 286 participants with type 1 diabetes at the Pediatrics and Adolescent Diabetes Unit was conducted from March to August 2022. A predesigned questionnaire was used to collect data about lifestyle, telecommunication service, and quality of life using PedsQL.

Results: Results show that most of the participants (62.2 %) food consumption increased during the lockdown period. Moreover, results also reveal that 79.7 % of the participants were informed about the telecommunication service, 93.4 % of them actually used it, and 88.6 % thought it was simple. As regards the quality of life, there was a statistically significant difference in PedsQL total score between the younger and older groups, with a p-value=0.009 indicating a better quality of life in the older group.

Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic influenced the lifestyle of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Their food consumption increased, the telemedicine service was easy to use and appealed to the majority, and the quality of life of older participants was better.