Telehealth Coaching for Rural Parents of Children With Type 1 Diabetes
Study Overview
Importance: Managing a child’s diabetes can be complicated. Parents often take on all care responsibilities and need extra help to maintain family routines.
Objective:
This study aimed to test a telehealth coaching program for rural parents of children with Type 1 diabetes (T1D). The goal was to improve children’s blood sugar levels, family quality of life, and parents’ confidence in managing diabetes.
Study Design:
This was a double-blinded, two-group pilot randomized controlled trial conducted via telehealth video calls from home.
Participants:
16 pairs of rural parents and children aged 2 to 12 diagnosed with T1D participated.
Intervention:
Parents received weekly telehealth coaching sessions for 12 weeks, guided by local community partners.
Outcomes Measured:
Child outcomes included blood sugar levels and time spent in a healthy range. Family outcomes included parenting confidence, quality of life, goal achievement, and caregiver communication.
Results:
Families who participated in the coaching were more likely to reach their family goals (p = .006) compared to those who did not. Caregiver communication improved significantly (p = .034), and the average rating on the caregiver capacity scale also showed significant improvement (p < .001). However, there were no significant changes in children's blood sugar levels or family quality of life.
Conclusions:
This coaching program may be more effective in helping families manage health routines after a T1D diagnosis than standard care alone. Most children’s health metrics were already in the target range at the study’s start, which limited the potential for improvement.
Plain-Language Summary:
Occupational therapy can be a valuable resource for families managing Type 1 diabetes. This trial explored a new 12-week telehealth intervention aimed at improving diabetes management skills and family involvement. Families receiving this support showed better participation in activities and increased confidence in managing diabetes, but there were no significant changes in children’s health or family quality of life.
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