The impact of hypoglycaemia in children or adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus on the quality of life of parents and caregivers – a systematic review

Background Living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) comes with a risk of hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemic episodes and the fear of hypoglycemia can not only severely reduce the quality of life (QoL) for children and adolescents with diabetes but also for their parents or caregivers, having an adverse effect on both mental and physical health. Thus, parents of children with T1D experience considerable stress including higher levels of depression and anxiety.
Aim The aim of the present study is to summarise and critically evaluate the current evidence base for the impact of hypoglycemia on different aspects of quality of life in parents and caregivers of children/adolescents with T1D.
Methods A systematic review will be conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, in collaboration with The School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) at The University of Sheffield, UK. The data sources used for the literature search will be MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library. Relevant empirical studies of both qualitative and quantitative character as well as systematic reviews are eligible for inclusion.
Expected Results We expect that current evidence will show an association between hypoglycemia and reduced quality of life/mental health in parents and caregivers of children or adolescents with T1D.
Conclusion Due to a limited focus on family members in previous research, we expect that gaps in the understanding of the relationship between hypoglycemia and QoL in parents and caregivers of children or adolescents with T1D will be highlighted and will provide clear direction for future studies in this area.