Interventions to Promote Diabetes Self-Management in Children and Youth: A Scoping Review

As children and youth with diabetes grow up, they become increasingly responsible for controlling and monitoring their condition. We conducted a scoping review to explore the research literature on self-management interventions for children and youth with diabetes. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Some of the studies reviewed combined the participant population so that children with Type 1 as well as children with Type 2 diabetes were included. The majority of the studies focused on children age 14 yr or older and provided self-management education, self-management support, or both. Parent involvement was a key component of the majority of the interventions, and the use of technology was evident in 3 studies. The findings highlight factors that occupational therapy practitioners should consider when working with pediatric diabetes teams to select self-management interventions.