Person-oriented and variable-oriented analyses were conducted to investigate sociodemographic differences in biological, psychosocial and disease care factors in youth with type 1 diabetes. Additionally, diabetes knowledge was evaluated as a potential mediator of SES effects on HbA1c and disease care. The sample included 349 youth, age 9-17 years (79.9% Caucasian, 71.3% lived with two biological parents, M SES = 46.24). Person-oriented t-tests confirmed commonly reported ethnic differences in HbA1c and disease care behaviors. However, variable-oriented analyses controlling for confounding sociodemographic influences showed most disease care effects attributed to ethnicity were better explained by SES. While diabetes knowledge was not a significant mediator of meal composition, it appeared to suppress the effect of social class on carbohydrate and fat consumption, such that more diabetes knowledge minimized the negative effect of lower SES on optimal carbohydrate and fat consumption. Results may inform future interventions for youth at risk of poor metabolic control.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:vcu.edu/oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-1023 |
| Date | 20 November 2009 |
| Creators | Powell, Priscilla |
| Publisher | VCU Scholars Compass |
| Source Sets | Virginia Commonwealth University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | © The Author |
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