Background: Research indicates the prevalence of inadequate metabolic control, psychological distress and mental issues in emerging adults (Eas) with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in their transition from paediatric to adult care. Little is known about how a new diagnosis of T1DM impacts the life transitions of Eas living in regional areas, where access to specialist multidisciplinary services can be limited by geographic, financial and psychological factors.
Aim: To explore the lived experience of young adults diagnosed with T1DM during emerging adulthood in regional Victoria.
Methods: A qualitative phenomenological design was used to address the study aims. Three participants took part in semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed verbatim. The analysis identified initial themes which were subdivided into categories, then regrouped into four main interrelated themes presented as a narrative description.
Findings: Four common themes emerged from the participants' experiences. (a) sense of isolation; (b) difficulty coping with the transition phase following the diabetes diagnosis; (c) difficulties navigating the health services; (d) importance of support networks in the participants' diabetes journey.
Conclusions: The participants' sense of isolation and struggle to balance the demands of diabetes management tasks with the transitions of emerging adulthood were consistent with the findings of previous research. The participants added new information that indicated their experience was, in some respects, different from that of their peers with earlier T1DM onset: (a) diabetes as a life-changing event, adding to the multiple transitions experienced by Eas and increasing the risk of mental health issues; (b) limited structured diabetes education in regional health services and potential loss to follow-up after diagnosis; (c) limited practical support from participants' significant others; (d) limited peer support due to geographic dispersion.