Object
Title: Preparing teachers to care for students with type 1 diabetes
Abstract:
Introduction This dissertation is about children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, many of whom were diagnosed so early that they will not know or remember life without this disease. These individuals will confront their incurable condition throughout their lives, becoming experts on their own disease. However, today it is the duty of adults: parents, caregivers and teachers, to ensure that, despite the illness, these children can lead normal lives and experience a typical, happy childhood. In kindergarten and school, they require the support of trained and committed teachers who can assist them in managing their diabetes: measuring blood glucose, administering insulin, handling situations of hypo- and hyperglycemia, and dealing with a chronic disease. Objectives The aim of this study is to assess the readiness of teachers in municipal kindergartens and primary schools in Kraków to care for students with type 1 diabetes, and to identify the barriers and factors determining the ability to provide this care appropriately. The following research questions were defined to achieve the set objective: 1. Did teachers have the opportunity to gain knowledge and qualifications suitable for working with students with T1DM during their studies and professional development? 2. Is the knowledge and skills of teachers sufficient to ensure the safety of students with type 1 diabetes? ; 3. Are there correlations between teachers’ age, gender, professional experience, their knowledge, and skills regarding diabetes? 4. Are teachers willing to engage in the care of students with T1DM? 5. Are there correlations between teachers’ age, gender, professional experience, knowledge, and skills regarding diabetes, and their willingness to engage in caring for students with diabetes? 6. What are the barriers to organizing proper care for students with T1DM? 7. What factors influence teachers’ knowledge, skills, and willingness to help students with type 1 diabetes? 8. What are the international experiences in the organization of care for students with T1DM, and can they be implemented in Poland? Method The study used a self-developed survey questionnaire containing 35 closed and open-ended questions and a metric. The data obtained from the paper questionnaires were entered into an MS Excel spreadsheet. The distribution of qualitative variables was described using absolute(n) and relative (%) frequencies, and quantitative variables using the median along with the first (Q1) and third quartiles (Q3). The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to determine the relationship between the study characteristics. The distributions of the knowledge index and skills related to caring for a child with diabetes between categories were compared using the Mann-Whitney U ; test (two categories) and Kruskal-Wallis’s test (at least three categories). The Dunn test for multiple comparisons was used to determine which groups had significant differences. Additionally, multivariate models (regression) were performed to test whether gender, age, work experience, and training participation were independently associated with the delineated index. Results The study, conducted in 2021, included 1018 teachers of local government institutions, including 281 kindergarten teachers and 787 primary school teachers from Kraków. More than 80% of all respondents were women (n=843). Only 5% of teachers rated the opportunity to gain the preparation for working with chronically ill students during their studies as very high or high. Only 30% (n=315) of teachers stated that they were trained in how to handle a child with diabetes. Among the surveyed teachers, 28.9% declared that they were able to recognize the symptoms of hypoglycemia in a child, while 37.5% declared not being able to recognize the symptoms. In case of hypoglycemia in a student, 22% of teachers would take correct action, 20% gave an extremely incorrect answer: administering insulin. In case of a child with T1DM losing consciousness, less than 10% of teachers would administer glucagon, while over a third would call an ambulance. More than half of the teachers also marked the answer "I don't know," and ; more than 10% (115) of the respondents would administer insulin. The barriers to proper care for a child with T1DM identified by teachers included the lack of school nurses, lack of training, and unclear legislation. The study of correlations between gender, age, work experience, and knowledge about diabetes and the willingness to help a student with diabetes did not yield a clear answer. The highest level of knowledge was observed in the age group 30-35 years and among teachers with 5 to 10 years of work experience. Women significantly more often declared a willingness to participate in diabetes training than men. Higher interest in participating in the training was also observed among teachers over 50 years of age and with the longest work experience or also with the shortest work experience. A significant correlation was observed between the level of knowledge and skills and the declaration of engagement in helping students with T1DM. Individuals with a higher level of knowledge and skills and participating in training were more willing to assist students in self-monitoring their diabetes. Conclusions The study revealed that the level of knowledge and skills of teachers in Kraków’s kindergartens and schools about type 1 diabetes is low and insufficient to provide proper care for students with T1DM. It is necessary to increase teachers' knowledge by providing opportunities ; for them to participate in training. It is also necessary to implement the recommendations for the care of children with diabetes in educational institutions developed by the Polish Diabetic Association and to make them official. It is recommended to utilize good practices from other countries, including providing children with diabetes with a special needs assistant during their stay in the educational institution.
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Degree discipline:
zdrowie publiczne ; endokrynologia
Degree grantor:
Rada Dyscypliny Nauki o zdrowiu
Promoter:
Kowalska-Bobko, Iwona ; Gałązka-Sobotka, Małgorzata
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Last modified:
Aug 16, 2024
In our library since:
Aug 16, 2024
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All available object's versions:
http://dl.cm-uj.krakow.pl:8080/publication/5151
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| Edition name | Date |
|---|---|
| ZB-138624 | Aug 16, 2024 |
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