The effect of adverse life events on glycaemic control in children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

Forty-five children aged 6 to 14 years with insulin-dependent diabetes mell itus were recruited from a paediatric diabetic clinic. Glycaemic control, c hild emotional and behavioural problems, and maternal mental state were ass essed at recruitment and after 12 months. Life events were measured at 12 m onths using a standardised semistructured interview schedule. A between-gro ups comparison design was used to explore the effect of life events, child emotional and behavioural problems, and maternal mental state on glycaemic control. The children had relatively high rates of emotional and behavioura l problems. Overall, the children had a similar number of life events to he althy children in the general population, but proportionally, experienced f ewer desirable events. Children who had experienced at least one event in a family setting, or a disappointing event, were more likely to have high gl ycated haemoglobin levels afterwards than were children who had not experie nced such events. Linear regression models showed that only disappointments , family events and glycated haemoglobin at the start of the study made imp ortant independent contributions to glycated haemoglobin at 12 months. Chil d age, emotional and behavioural problems, and maternal mental state, had n o effect on glycaemic control.