Comprehensive Insights into Anxiety, Depression, and Glycemic Control in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes and Their Parents: A First Look in Latvia and Implications for Multidisciplinary Care

Background/Objectives: Chronic somatic diseases are significant risk factors for the development of mental disorders. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) is the most common chronic endocrine pathology in children. Treatment requires nutrition management, physical activity, lifelong insulin therapy, and proper self-monitoring of blood glucose. It is complicated and therefore may result in a variety of psychosocial problems for children, adolescents, and their families. Considering the rapidly growing incidence of type 1 diabetes in the pediatric population of Latvia, it is important to detect and prevent the risks of anxiety and depression in families with children suffering from type 1 diabetes. Methods: This was a quantitative interdisciplinary cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression in adolescents with T1D and their parents. Two tools were used to detect the presence of symptoms of anxiety and depression: the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) scale. Results: A total of 812 respondents were eligible for screening. Anxiety and depression symptoms were seen significantly more frequently in the study group than in the control group. The study found negative effects of anxiety and depression on the compensation of diabetes. Conclusions: Adolescents with type 1 diabetes and their parents are more predisposed to anxiety and depression symptoms than somatic healthy children and their parents, thus worsening disease control and prognosis.