Psychological impact of screening and prediction in type 1 diabetes

Screening programs designed to identify persons at risk for type 1 diabetes via genetic and antibody testing are controversial because they typically target children, provide only a crude estimate of type 1 diabetes risk, and offer no means of preventing the disease. For this reason, genetic and antibody testing for type 1 diabetes risk is usually limited to carefully conducted research studies. The psychological impact of such screening programs include cognitive, emotional, and behavioral sequelae; the available literature has focused primarily on parents, and usually mothers, since the target of screening is usually infants or young children. Diabetes risk is a difficult construct to effectively communicate. Many individuals fail to accurately understand risk; inaccurate risk perceptions may increase over time and have been associated with early study withdrawal. Simply asking study participants if they understand the risk information provided is insufficient. Anxiety and worry are common reactions to learning that you or a loved one is at increased risk for type 1 diabetes. For most people, anxiety and worry dissipate with time but some individuals may be particularly vulnerable to prolonged anxiety or depression. Although there is no known means to prevent type 1 diabetes in at-risk individuals, families often report increased surveillance of those at risk and behavior changes to prevent the disease, potentially threatening the internal validity of the study.