Abstract
Diabetes self-management can become a stressful and challenging experience to young adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus while being enrolled in the university or college. Various underlying factors could make significant impacts on their academic performance and their capacity to do self-care, especially on a different environment. In terms of promoting a safe and effective academic journey to university students with type 1 diabetes, university involvement becomes necessary in providing care and guidance in management their diabetes as they transition from being dependent to their caregivers to become solely independent. promptness and adequacy of available diabetes self-care strategies serve as the foundation for an effective diabetes control and management. Although, it remains uncertain as to how and to what extent these age group can endure such practices notwithstanding facing many external stressors that can potentially make significant their academic experience.
This study paper is an integrative review of synthesized findings from practical literatures on the perceptions and experiences of university students with type 1 diabetes as they transition to self-management. Correspondingly, this review aims to explore potentially enabling opportunities and provide insights to the health care professionals, thereby allowing them to better understand the young adults' diabetes-related concerns whilst addressing their academic and social pressures in the university or college at the same time.
To accomplish this review, eleven related literatures were utilised and searched using electronic databases such as pubMed, CINAHL, Google Scholar and Ovid Embase. Literature studies include eight qualitative, two quantitative, and one mixed-method studies that caters to university students with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Whittemore and Knafl's narrative analysis method was utilised to identify emerging themes and subthemes relevant to the study phenomenon. Key themes emerged were the academic related concerns, challenges to glycemic monitoring, role of support systems, and the transition of medical care.
Results of this integrative review identified further need for more in-depth exploration of this phenomenon in relation to how universities and colleges could aim to be a diabetes safe and friendly campus environment and how they can improve their practices to better cater the students with T1DM's needs and concerns, such as strong implementation of policies and guidelines, promote an available and accessible health resources and support, and development of initiative for a university-wide diabetes awareness.