"Perception, Knowledge, and Attitudes of Educational Staff Regarding the Care of Children With Type 1 Diabetes: Evaluation of the Educational Program"

NCT07148076 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: SibenikU
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 100
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease that requires continuous monitoring and regulation of glycemia. Children with type 1 diabetes face challenges that can disrupt their daily routines in school and kindergarten. This includes the need for self-monitoring, continuous blood sugar measurement, insulin administration, proper nutrition, regular physical activity, and timely interventions in cases of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. Therefore, children with diabetes often require support from educational staff, including teachers, preschool educators, and other professional personnel while attending educational institutions. A safe and supportive (pre)school environment is crucial for maintaining the health and well-being of children with type 1 diabetes. Teachers and preschool educators, as key actors in the daily (pre)school life of the child, play an important role in recognizing disease symptoms and managing emergencies. However, research shows that many teachers lack sufficient knowledge about the symptoms of diabetes and the necessary procedures in emergencies, which can endanger the health and safety of the child, as well as their equal participation in educational activities.

Conditions

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)

Keywords

Type 1 Diabetes, Children, Educational Staff, Primary Schools,Kindergartens

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in the perception, knowledge, and attitudes of educational staff regarding the care of children with type 1 diabetes

  Primary Outcome: The primary outcome will be assessed by measuring the difference in the total score on a comprehensive, structured questionnaire designed to evaluate the perception, knowledge, and attitudes of educational staff regarding the care of children with type 1 diabetes. The questionnaire is administered before and immediately after participation in the educational program, as well as three months post-intervention. The objective is to quantify the immediate and sustained effects of the intervention on participants' understanding and preparedness to support children with type 1 diabetes in educational settings. Time Frame: Assessment will be conducted at three time points: prior to the start of the educational program (baseline) immediately after completion of the program. Instrument: The instrument used is a structured questionnaire specifically developed for this study. It is a compilation of seven previously validated instruments

  Before the educational program Immediately after the educational program The entire study is scheduled to be conducted over a period of 10 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Sustainability of Changes in Knowledge, Perception, and Attitudes

  Three months after completion of the educational program

Study Arms (2)

Intervention Group - Education Program

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the intervention group completed a baseline questionnaire assessing perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes about type 1 diabetes care. They then participated in an educational program specifically designed to improve these aspects. Immediately following the education, participants completed a second questionnaire. A third questionnaire was administered 3 months after the intervention to assess retention of knowledge and changes in attitudes and perceptions.

Behavioral: Education Program

Control Group - No Intervention

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in the control group did not receive any educational program or intervention. They completed the same questionnaire as the intervention group at baseline and again 3 months later. This allowed for comparison of changes in perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes about type 1 diabetes care without exposure to the educational intervention.

Interventions

Education Program BEHAVIORAL

This intervention consists of a structured educational program specifically designed for educational staff in primary schools and kindergartens, focusing on the care of children with type 1 diabetes. The program includes interactive lectures, practical workshops, and case studies covering diabetes management, symptom recognition, emergency procedures, and day-to-day support for children with type 1 diabetes in educational settings. Unlike standard informational sessions or general health education, this intervention is tailored to address the unique challenges and responsibilities faced by school and kindergarten staff. The program is delivered in-person by certified diabetes educators and includes pre- and post-training assessments to measure changes in knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes. Participants are tracked using unique codes to allow for longitudinal comparison of results before, immediately after, and three months following the intervention.

Intervention Group - Education Program

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Educational staff employed in primary schools and/or kindergartens within the study area
• Individuals willing to participate who have provided informed consent
• Participants available for all planned assessments during the study period.

You may not qualify if:

• Educational staff who have type 1 diabetes themselves, to avoid bias in the assessment of knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes due to personal experience with the disease
• Educational staff who have close family members (parent, child, spouse, sibling) diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, as personal experiences and additional knowledge gained through family circumstances could affect the objectivity of the results
• Individuals unable to participate in all phases of the study (e.g., due to planned absence or other reasons)
• Individuals who are unwilling or unable to provide informed consent
• This description clearly defines who is eligible and who is excluded from participation, ensuring the representativeness and objectivity of the study sample.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Sibenik University of Applied Sciences: lead

Study Sites (2)

Osnovna škola Tin Ujević, Dječji vrtići Smilje

Šibenik, Hrvatska, 22000, Croatia

Location

Osnovna škola Tin Ujević, Dječji vrtići Smilje, Šibenik, Hrvatska 22000

Šibenik, Šibenik, 22000, Croatia

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1

Interventions

Early Intervention, Educational

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Child Health Services; Community Health Services; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services; Preventive Health Services

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator, Lecturer, MSN

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 22, 2025
• First Posted: August 29, 2025
• Study Start: October 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: September 1, 2025
• Study Completion: October 1, 2025
• Last Updated: September 8, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Locations

CR (2)