Diabetic children at greater risk of depression and anxiety

Posted on July 20, 2015

A quarter of Australian teenagers with type 1 diabetes are also struggling with depression and anxiety.

A study published today finds that the condition which is treated with injections is placing a significant psychological burden on children.

Researchers interviewed almost 800 diabetic children and teenagers around the country, aged between the ages of 10 and 19.

One in four is suffering from a mental illness, in some cases they have severe symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Director of the Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes, Professor Jane Speight said: "And they're quite consistent with what you would find in the general population of teenagers, but we asked some other questions that were specifically about diabetes-related distress and we found that to be quite high so it's possible that their general mental health is influenced by their diabetes-related distress and they are distressed about living with this conditions."

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Category(s):Anxiety, Child Development, Depression, Health / Illness / Medical Issues

Source material from ABC