2025 WCHRI Summer Student

Teenagers and diabetes: The quest for independence

Jessica Katerenchuk’s research focused on understanding what teenagers and their parents need to learn to live with type 1 diabetes, where the immune system attacks the pancreas, requiring lifelong dependence on insulin.

She conducted interviews to find out what both groups thought was important for successful diabetes management, recognizing that a teenager’s social life and desire for independence often differ from their doctors’ and parents’ views.

As a registered nurse now in training as a medical doctor, Katerenchuk was struck by the overlap between her roles as health provider and researcher. 

“As an RN in the emergency department, I listened to resolve patients’ presenting concerns. ... In contrast, as a researcher, I strove to address the context that created their problems.”

Goals:

• Conduct interviews with 15 teenagers and their caregivers.
• Analyze the conversations to identify common themes about their experiences.
• Use the findings to help health professionals meet the specific self-management education needs of teenagers.

Potential impact: Her research could help health professionals better support teenagers as they transition to managing their own care, leading to better outcomes.

Supervisor: Elizabeth Rosolowsky, associate professor, Department of Pediatrics

Funder: Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation

Interested in doing research to improve the health of women and/or children? Read more about WCHRI’s training awards for students at all levels and generous grants for researchers.