Hospital admissions of adolescent patients with diabetes

This study formed part of a psychological survey of young people aged 10-17 years attending three Bristol diabetes clinics. The aim was to examine the characteristics of those who were admitted to hospital with unstable diabetes during the period between two assessments, and analyse how they differed from the rest. Ten young people were admitted to hospital during the study period. These 10 individuals had greater emotional difficulty with diabetes as measured by diabetes specific psychometric scales (median scale score: 19) compared to the 89 adolescents who were not readmitted (median scale score: 14) (p = 0.01). They did not differ in demographic characteristics or glycaemic control. Overall there was no relationship between psychological response to diabetes and glycaemic control as assessed by mean glycated haemoglobin. Five of those admitted presented with hyperglycaemia; they had greater emotional difficulty (median scale score: 31, p = 0.02) and a more negative attitude (median scale score: 22, p = 0.02) to diabetes than those presenting with hypoglycaemia (median scale scores: 16). Only those with hyperglycaemia differed from those who were not readmitted, having greater emotional difficulty (p = 0.002) and a more negative attitude (p = 0.01). The possibility of psychological difficulties with diabetes should be sought following an admission, particularly for hyperglycaemia.