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Adjustment experiences of adolescents living with well-controlled type 1 diabetes using closed-loop technology
Sylvia Kruger1, Elmari Deacon2, Esmé van Rensburg1
1Compres Research Focus Area, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Aim:
This study aimed to obtain an in-depth understanding of the experiences of adolescents with well-controlled type 1 diabetes who were adjusting to closed-loop technology.
Method:
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was conducted. Five participants (aged 15-18) were recruited from the Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology in Parktown, South Africa, to participate in semi-structured interviews about their experiences of adjusting to closed-loop technology.
Results:
Five superordinate themes emerged (1): learning to trust the technology (2), making diabetes visible (3), building a relationship with diabetes (4), empowering support networks, and (5) transformative positive outcomes. The findings demonstrate that closed-loop technology positively impacts the adjustment to living with type 1 diabetes. However, as highlighted by all participants, the individual's engagement and management are crucial. Based on the adolescents' experiences, interventions should focus on psychological factors.
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