Assessing hyperglycemia avoidance in people with Type 1 diabetes

摘要

SUMMARY: Aims: People with anxieties related to high blood glucose may engage in avoidance behaviors thatincreasetheirriskofhypoglycemia.Conversely,reduced concern about hyperglycemia could impair diabetes control. We developed the Hyperglycemia Avoidance Scale (HAS) to assess the extent of potentially problematic avoidant attitudes and behaviors in people with Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Materials & methods: The HAS was administered to 501 people with T1D (mean age: 43 years). Data analysis included Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) using polychoric correlations and Item Response Theory. Relationships between the HAS and other diabetes-related measures were examined. Results: The EFA supported a 22-item, four-factor solution with excellent item reliability for all factors. HAS factors were found to be predictive of prospective S Hand prospective driving mishaps. Higher HbAlc values were also significantly related to the HAS. Pump users reported significantly greater avoidance of hyperglycemia than their counterparts. Conclusion: The HAS reliably quantifies affective and behavioral aspects of hyperglycemia avoidance. Future studies are encouraged to determine the usefulness of the scale with other more diverse populations with diabetes.