Checking In: A Pilot of a Physician-Delivered Intervention to Increase Parent-Adolescent Communication About Blood Glucose Monitoring.

Low-cost, translatable interventions to promote adherence in adolescents with type 1 diabetes are needed. This study evaluated a brief physician-delivered intervention designed to increase parent-adolescent communication about blood glucose monitoring. Thirty adolescent-parent dyads completed baseline questionnaires and received the physician-delivered intervention. Participants completed follow-up questionnaires at 12 weeks; HbA1c and glucometer data were abstracted from medical charts. Parent-reported conflict surrounding diabetes management decreased from pre- to postintervention. Participants who reported adhering to the intervention plan (n = 15) demonstrated an increase in blood glucose monitoring frequency and trends in improved HbA1c and parental diabetes collaboration from pre- to postintervention. Participants and physicians reported overall satisfaction with the program. Results demonstrate initial feasibility as well as a trend toward improvement in diabetes-specific health indicators for parent-adolescent dyads who adhered to program components. Frequent joint review of glucometer data can be a useful strategy to improve type 1 diabetes-related health outcomes and parent-adolescent communication.