Self-care support for the management of type 1 diabetes during the transition from childhood to adolescence

Objective: To analyze the needs of pre-adolescents with type 1 diabetes regarding self-care support for disease management. Method: Qualitative study conducted between October and December 2016 with pre-adolescents seen at a hospital outpatient clinic and at Family Health Units; semi-structured interviews were used. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis based on the theoretical basis of self-care support. Results: Nine pre-adolescents participated in the study. It was identified that in order to build self-efficacy, pre-adolescents need to overcome the disease denial phase, know how to handle feelings triggered by the need for lifestyle changes, receive support from their families and social networks, and have the self-awareness and self-perception needed to feel secure in managing their diabetes. Conclusion: The intrinsic challenges of adolescence and the way pre-adolescents with diabetes handle the disease have an influence on diabetes management and create needs that must be appreciated by health care professionals in order to provide self-care support.