Child & Youth Diabetes Strategy

Growth and self-care through mindfulness

Youville Clinic

Focus: Transition from pediatric to adult services

Target Population: Youth with type 1 diabetes

Reach: Winnipeg

Grant:  $132,750

Project Goal

To develop, implement and assess the effectiveness of mindfulness training for youth with type 1 diabetes undergoing transition to adult care.

Project Overview

The project will pilot a program using mindfulness training to help prepare and equip young people to manage the transition from pediatric to adult services and assume responsibility for their own diabetes care. Often this period of transition can be turbulent, resulting in youth not adequately managing their health. Mindfulness is an approach that has been shown to help individuals achieve better glycemic control as well as decreased levels of stress, anxiety, depression, feelings of distress and diabetes burnout. As a result of these positive effects, some jurisdictions are now offering mindfulness-based approaches to adult clients with diabetes. Youville plans to build on the current research to see if similar promising effects of mindfulness training could improve transition outcomes for youth with diabetes. Youville Clinic is partnering with the Catholic Health Corporation of Manitoba, which has been promoting mindfulness interventions in healthcare settings through its Compassion Project.