STigma and Its Impact on Glucose Control aMong Youth With diAbetes, a Canada-Wide Study

NCT02796248 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: ST-1-16-5046-DK
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 380
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 4

Brief Summary

Stigma related to chronic disease is rejection or judgement or exclusion by others that is related to the chronic disease itself and is unwarranted. We are trying to figure out what proportion of young people with type 1 diabetes experience stigma in Canada. By young people, we mean teenagers and young adults; specifically, people who are between 14 and 25 years of age. This is a challenging period in life when identities are developed and peer opinions are felt to be particularly important. Experiencing stigma in this life period may be especially hurtful and may have bad effects on taking care of type 1 diabetes. This may lead to important medical problems like dangerously low or high blood sugar values. By understanding how common stigma is, we can figure out the need for programs and strategies to deal with it. We will ask young people with type 1 diabetes to help us study this problem by completing an online survey. We will 'advertise' our study through type 1 diabetes clinics, websites, and social media. People who are eligible and interested will click on an internet link and be directed to the survey. Staff at clinics in Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver will also draw their attention to the posters and/or provide small flyers with the internet link for the study. Participants will be asked about their general sense of well-being, their habits and behaviours, and their blood sugar control, including frequency of both lows and highs. They will also be asked if they are willing to mail in a small blood sample. If yes, they will receive a kit with a small lancing device and instructions on how to clean their finger tip, prick it, and express a few drops of blood into a small container. They will then mail this back to us in a postage-paid envelope. We will use this to measure their hemoglobin A1c, an overall measure of blood sugar control. We will use this information to (1) calculate the proportion of young people with type 1 diabetes who experience stigma; (2) figure out what factors and behaviours might predict or signal the experience of stigma; (3) see if there is a link between stigma and A1c control and/or frequent lows by report; (4) explore challenges and solutions voiced through the open-ended questions.

Conditions

Type 1 Diabetes; Social Stigma

Keywords

type 1 diabetes; glucose control; stigma; youth

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Presence of stigma

  Will be ascertained through a series of questions

  At survey completion

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• A1c

  At survey completion

• Hypoglycemia frequency

  At survey completion; recall period varies from past week to past year

• Diabetes-related self-efficicay

  At survey completion

• Diabetes-related distress

  At survey completion

• Quality of life

  At survey completion; recall period is past month

Interventions

cross-sectional survey OTHER

This is an observation study. Participants will complete a survey at one occasion. Participants are also invited to do a A1c mail-in capillary test.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 14 Years - 24 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adolescents and young adults (14-24 years of age) with type 1 diabetes living in Canada

You may qualify if:

• type 1 diabetes
• Canadian citizen
• Aged between 14 and 24 years

You may not qualify if:

• other forms of diabetes

Sponsors & Collaborators

• McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre: lead
• Canadian Diabetes Association: collaborator

Study Sites (4)

Alberta Children's Hospital

Calgary, Alberta, T3B 6A8, Canada

Location

British Columbia Children's Hospital

Vancouver, British Columbia, V6H 3V4, Canada

Location

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine

Montreal, Quebec, H3T 1C5, Canada

Location

McGill University Health Centre

Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3J1, Canada

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Brazeau AS, Nakhla M, Wright M, Henderson M, Panagiotopoulos C, Pacaud D, Kearns P, Rahme E, Da Costa D, Dasgupta K. Stigma and Its Association With Glycemic Control and Hypoglycemia in Adolescents and Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: Cross-Sectional Study. J Med Internet Res. 2018 Apr 20;20(4):e151. doi: 10.2196/jmir.9432.

  PMID: 29678801 BACKGROUND

• Brazeau AS, Nakhla M, Wright M, Panagiotopoulos C, Pacaud D, Henderson M, Rahme E, Da Costa D, Dasgupta K. Stigma and Its Impact on Glucose Control Among Youth With Diabetes: Protocol for a Canada-Wide Study. JMIR Res Protoc. 2016 Dec 15;5(4):e242. doi: 10.2196/resprot.6629.

  PMID: 27979791 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Social Stigma

Interventions

Cross-Sectional Studies

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Diabetes Mellitus; Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Metabolic Diseases; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Endocrine System Diseases; Autoimmune Diseases; Immune System Diseases; Social Behavior; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Epidemiologic Studies; Epidemiologic Study Characteristics; Epidemiologic Methods; Investigative Techniques; Health Care Evaluation Mechanisms; Quality of Health Care; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation; Public Health; Environment and Public Health

Study Officials

• Kaberi Dasgupta, MD

  McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 7, 2016
• First Posted: June 10, 2016
• Study Start: May 1, 2016
• Primary Completion: January 1, 2017
• Study Completion: January 1, 2017
• Last Updated: August 27, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (4)