Experiences and Health Outcomes of Emerging Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: A Mixed-Methods Study

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Public Health
• Psychology

Background:

• Emerging adults (18-29 years) with type 1 diabetes face unique challenges impacting health outcomes.
• Cultural and healthcare-specific factors significantly influence the experiences of this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the lived experiences of emerging adults with type 1 diabetes in Lebanon.
• To describe diabetes self-care, health outcomes (HbA1c, diabetes distress), and their predictors.
• To identify factors influencing diabetes management in this population.

Main Methods:

• Convergent mixed-methods design involving 90 participants (surveys) and 15 participants (interviews).
• Quantitative data included sociodemographics, clinical data, diabetes distress, social support, and self-care measures.
• Qualitative data utilized semistructured interviews analyzed thematically; quantitative data analyzed using multiple linear regression.

Main Results:

• Mean HbA1c was 7.7%, with 81.1% reporting moderate to severe diabetes distress.
• Participants demonstrated good diabetes self-care and high social support.
• HbA1c predicted by insulin type, age at diagnosis, and self-care; distress by diabetes knowledge, monitoring, and self-care.

Conclusions:

• Suboptimal health outcomes in emerging adults with type 1 diabetes underscore the need for culturally tailored interventions.
• Addressing diabetes knowledge, public awareness, social support, and technology access is vital.
• Findings inform future research, clinical practice, and policy development for this vulnerable group.