Adherence to recommended diabetes self-management (DSM) is essential for glycemic control. Little is known regarding the association between DSM adherence and glycemic control as adolescents transition to adulthood. This secondary analysis examined the association of DSM adherence and glycemic control in adolescence and its temporal association with DSM adherence and glycemic control reported as adults in women with T1D. Data from female adolescents who participated in a preconception counseling intervention trial were linked with data collected in adulthood via a retrospective survey. DSM adherence was assessed regarding following a diet plan, checking blood sugar, taking insulin, exercising regularly, and keeping appointments and summed as a score ranging 5 to 25, where higher scores suggest greater DSM adherence. Glycemic control was measured via self-report (scaled as 1=poor to 4=excellent) and finger stick A1c. Of the 30 T1D women followed (100% Caucasian, Age [M±SD]: 25.8±2.4 years, Age at T1D diagnosis: 8.6±4.8 years), as teens most reported being adherent to the five DSM activities on average "most of the time" (20.4±2.4), being in good to excellent control (n=20, 66.7%; 2.8±0.7), and having a mean A1c of 7.5±0.7%, with moderate correlations between DSM adherence and self-reported glycemic control (r=.50, p<.001) and A1c (r=-.41, p=.005). As adults, mean DSM adherence improved (23.1±3.3, p=.001), while no significant changes were found for either self-reported glycemic control (2.7±0.8, p=.476) or A1c (7.2±1.0, p=.342). DSM adherence in adolescence was not associated with DSM adherence in adulthood (r=.21, p=.276), yet moderate associations were found for self-reported glycemic control (r=.51, p=.004) and A1c (r=.59, p=.044). These findings suggest DSM adherence may improve as adolescent females transition to adulthood and is related to glycemic control both in adolescence and adulthood.
S.M. Sereika: None. A.F. Fischl: None. D. Charron-Prochownik: None.
American Diabetes Association (1-11-CT-10, 7-02-CR-06 to D.C-P.)