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Background: The demands of diabetes care can place substantial burden on youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D), who must manage their treatment in conjunction with the developmentally typical tasks of adolescence. How diabetes affects the normative task of identity development deserves further exploration. Methods: A sample of 83 participants (ages 13‐21) completed a qualitative interview about life with diabetes and a battery of validated psychosocial measures. Individual interviews were analyzed using content analysis to create criteria for whether a teen had incorporated their T1D in relation to their identity. Convergent validity was assessed by comparing identity groups on various validated measures of psychosocial characteristics and health‐related outcomes. Analysis of covariances (ANCOVAs) were used to determine whether identity status had a significant relationship to health outcomes. Results: Results indicated that youth who were categorized as incorporating their T1D into their identities demonstrated significantly greater perceived social competency (P =.014), greater diabetes‐specific self‐esteem (P <.001), better self‐care (P =.002), and more life satisfaction (P =.001) than those who had not incorporated T1D. Incorporation was also associated with better glycemic control (P =.003). Identity remained significantly associated with the above psychosocial and health‐related outcomes even when controlling for covariates of gender and method of insulin delivery (Ps <.01). Conclusions: Successful incorporation of diabetes is associated with better biomedical and psychosocial outcomes in teens with T1D. Further research is warranted to assess influences on identity as well as how to encourage and support incorporation in this at‐risk population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Patient‐reported outcomes have received increased attention as treatment outcomes and indicators of wellbeing. A1c has been criticized as lacking patient‐centered relevance because individuals are often unaware of their A1c, and studies also often fail to show a benefit of intensive control on quality of life. The goal of the present study was to examine self‐rated health (SRH) in relation to diabetes self‐care behaviors, socioeconomic factors, treatment regimen characteristics, and glycemic control among predominately Hispanic and African American adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods: Adolescents with T1D (N = 84) were recruited for a cross‐sectional study evaluating psychosocial factors and identity development. SRH, self‐care behaviors, treatment regimen, and demographic variables were collected through self‐report while glycemic control (A1c) was determined through chart review. Results: Participants were predominantly racial and ethnic minorities (48% Hispanic, 27% African American; 52% female, M age 15.9, M diabetes duration 6.8, M A1c 10% [86 mmol/mol]). Significant bivariate relationships emerged between SRH and sex, A1c, self‐care behavior, and insulin delivery method. Covariate‐adjusted regression models showed only A1c was significantly and independently related to SRH. Mediation analyses illustrated a significant indirect effect for A1c between self‐care and SRH. Conclusion: These findings suggest glycemic control is associated with self‐ratings of health among ethnically diverse adolescents with T1D. SRH appears to be an appropriate patient‐reported outcome that is sensitive to glycemic control in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]