Effects of Mothers' Knowledge and Coping Strategies on the Glycemic Control of Their Diabetic Children in Egypt

This study aimed to examine the relationship between mothers' knowledge related to treatment management of type 1 diabetes (T1D), with perceptions of coping with diabetes-related stress and to examine the relationship between children's metabolic control and maternal coping. A cross-sectional study was done among ninety-two mothers of T1D children.

Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, Ways of coping questionnaire (WCQ), and Diabetes Knowledge questionnaire-24 (DKQ-24).

The most important predictors of the total knowledge scores among mothers were father education (P < 0.0001), followed by child age and sex (P < 0.0001), while the most important coping scales affected by total knowledge scores was accepting responsibility (P = 0.01). There were positive correlation between HBA1C and escape-avoidance and positive reappraisal coping scales (r = 0.24, P = 0.02 and r = 0.23, P = 0.02, respectively). Blood glucose level was the most important clinical characteristics affecting the use of seeking social support coping scale among mothers.

Parents with more knowledge of diabetes and with better education were able to cope more effective and maintain a better glycemic control of their diabetic children.