Physical Health in the Functioning of Girls and Boys at School with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Screened against Their Peers

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the differences in functioning at school and fellow group, pupils with type 1 diabetes, compared to their healthy peers in the range of physical health on each educational stage. The research covered 218 girls and boys, aged in 7 to 19 years old (104 girls and 114 boys), including 52 girls and 57 boys from the diabetology clinic in the Regional Specialized Children’s Hospital in Olsztyn. Those were patients with clinically diagnosed insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes mellitus. The remaining participants were children and youth from the Olsztyn’s schools. All participants were divided into age groups corresponding to their education stages. Survey questionnaire was made of a polish version of the KIDSCREEN questionnaire for testing the quality of life related to the health of children and adolescents. Area regarding aspects of the physical health was taken into account (self-assessment of health status, physical activity of girls and boys, their physical fitness and ability to move in the immediate area). The research shows that most girls and boys with type 1 diabetes are more active than their healthy peers, and there is no sense of lower self-fitness. Pupils with diabetes believe that higher physical fitness affects in better relationships with their contemporaries. The vast majority of girls from both studied groups, at all educational stages, positively evaluate their health. In addition the health status of boys at the 1st and 4th educational stage is self-assessed in a positive way in contrast to boys with type 1 diabetes at the 2nd and 3rd educational stage.