Exploring Self-Management Among Adolescents With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Descriptive-Qualitative Study.
Sathima Suratham, Arunrat Srichantaranit, Kanyarat Wongmuan and 1 others
PMID 41127984WHAT IT FOUND
Thai adolescents with type 2 diabetes wanted short, engaging telehealth help for food, insulin, monitoring and stress.
Many had symptoms before diagnosis, but school and family screening also found cases. Parental scolding after high glucose reduced motivation.
Key findings
01Six of ten participants reported frequent urination and excessive thirst before diagnosis, while three of ten had no symptoms and were identified through family or school screening.
02All participants preferred online or telehealth support, and they wanted short, engaging content covering carbohydrate counting, insulin, blood glucose monitoring, sick-day management and psychological support.
03Four of ten participants reported hypoglycaemia symptoms, all said they could manage low or high glucose, but none reported rechecking blood glucose after 15 minutes.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study included only 10 Thai adolescents aged 13 to 18 years, so it does not describe younger children, people with comorbidities, or those needing caregiver help. The findings are experiences and preferences, not evidence that telehealth or education improves glucose control. Interviews were self-reported and may reflect researcher bias.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by Mahidol University.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as evidence that telehealth improves diabetes outcomes. This study describes what 10 adolescents said and wanted; it did not test an intervention or measure outcomes.