Needs Assessment of Mediterranean Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes About Therapeutic Education Sessions

Background: In type 1 diabetes, adolescence is often associated with deterioration in glycemic control, attributed to a poorly monitored diet, little exercise, poor treatment compliance, risk behaviors, endocrine changes with puberty, leading to greater resistance to insulin. Therapeutic patient education (TPE) is the key to successful management of the disease and treatment for adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Ten TPE programs exist in the Mediterranean region in France, and the care teams implementing them wish to promote joint reflection with sick teenagers and families to identify needs and expectations of everyone on priority skills to develop, to promote better management of the disease and improved quality of life.

Aim: To study the needs and expectations of adolescents with type 1 diabetes for skills to be developed during the educational sessions, to promote self-management of their disease and their treatment.

Method: Four audio-recorded focus groups will be organized in all 10 clinical settings (adolescents, parents and health professionals). Thematic analysis will be carried out from the transcript of the focus groups.

Expected results: The results will allow a joint reflection involving the participation of young patients, families, health professionals and the research team to build and implement new educational sessions that meet the identified needs. This action resulting from the research is expected to pool resources in different health facilities providing therapeutic education programs and to harmonize practices.