Depressive symptoms and glycemic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes: mediational role of blood glucose monitoring.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether the association between depressive symptoms and glycemic control is mediated by blood glucose monitoring (BGM).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A total of 276 adolescents with type 1 diabetes (mean age +/- SD, 15.6 +/- 1.4 years) completed a measure of depressive symptoms. Sociodemographic and family characteristics were obtained from caregivers. BGM frequency and glycemic control were obtained at a clinic visit.

RESULTS

Separate regression analyses revealed that depressive symptoms were associated with lower BGM frequency (B = -0.03; P = 0.04) and higher A1C (B = 0.03; P = 0.05) and that lower BGM frequency was associated with higher A1C (B = -0.39; P < 0.001). With depressive symptoms and BGM frequency included together, only BGM frequency was associated with A1C and depressive symptoms became nonsignificant (B = 0.02; P = 0.19). The Sobel test was significant (Z = 1.96; P < 0.05) and showed that 38% of the depression-A1C link can be explained by BGM.

CONCLUSIONS

BGM is a mediator between depressive symptoms and glycemic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.