Psychosocial issues in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A review and proposal of a model for evaluation and management in the Indian context

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) is a major public health challenge globally. Children with diabetes face unique challenges as the impact of the illness reaches far beyond the physical symptoms of the disease. Emotional distress and psychosocial impact on the quality of life of these children complicates the effective management of their disease, which can lead to long term complications. This paper provides an overview of the psychosocial issues in T1DM by reviewing existing literature and summarizing evidence-based interventions. Based on the current empirical literature, a model that takes various psychosocial issues into consideration is proposed in order to provide better care to children with diabetes.