[Compliance with treatment in diabetic adolescents]

The study of compliance with therapy among teenagers with diabetes mellitus is a challenging task. Although several studies have addressed this problem, available knowledge in this field remains scant and the lack of understanding of factors which determine compliance with therapy hinders the development of interventions capable of helping diabetic teenagers to improve their quality of life. On the basis of a review of the relevant literature, this paper discusses compliance with therapy in the light of the specific features of teenage development. The two main theoretical models used to explain compliance with therapy in adolescent diabetics are presented. Parameters of compliance with therapy and the methods used to measure these parameters are also discussed.