Study on Educational Outcomes in Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes

A new study published in the Journal of American Medical Association suggests that children and adolescents born in Sweden with type 1 diabetes (T1D) exhibited small disparities in educational achievements, but those with comorbid T1D and mental illnesses experienced long-term educational underachievement compared to their healthy counterparts.

According to research, children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have a higher risk of psychological illnesses than their peers without diabetes. However, no systematic study has been conducted to investigate if having mental illnesses is connected with educational results in children and adolescents with T1D. As a result, Shengxin Liu and colleagues undertook this study to assess educational results in children and adolescents with T1D who also had mental issues.

Data from different Swedish registrations were used in this cohort research. Individuals born in Sweden between January 1, 1973, and December 31, 1997 were enrolled in the primary study group and were followed up with from birth until December 31, 2013. Data analysis was carried out between March 1 and June 30, 2022. Type 1 diabetes and psychiatric problems (including neurodevelopmental disorders, anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, psychotic illness, bipolar disorder, and drug abuse) diagnosed before the age of 16 were considered major exposures. The major objectives were reaching educational milestones and performing well in compulsory school.

Key Findings

• T1D was diagnosed in 13,294 people out of 2,454,862 (51.3% male), with 1,012 (7.6%) additionally having at least one mental condition.
• Individuals with T1D alone showed somewhat decreased probabilities of attaining the investigated educational milestones when compared to healthy persons.
• Those with T1D and any psychiatric disease, on the other hand, had considerably reduced probabilities of completing obligatory education, being eligible for and completing upper secondary school, and starting and finishing university.
• They also had lower grade point averages in required school subjects.
• In sibling comparison studies, these findings were consistent, indicating independence from familial interference.

These findings emphasize the necessity of detecting mental issues in pediatric T1D patients, as well as the need for specific educational support and intervention to close the educational gap between afflicted children and their peers.

Source

Liu, S., Ludvigsson, J. F., Lichtenstein, P., Gudbjörnsdottir, S., Taylor, M. J., Larsson, H., Kuja-Halkola, R., & Butwicka, A. (2023). Educational Outcomes in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes and Psychiatric Disorders. In JAMA Network Open (Vol. 6, Issue 4, p. e238135). American Medical Association (AMA). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.8135