APPROACH OF PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS

Abstract

Chronic illness is a condition with increasing prevalence that requires medical care and affects children physically, psychosocially, and academically. Globally, one in four children is affected by chronic illnesses, accounting for approximately 10-30% of the total child population. In recent years, there has been an observed increase in the number of children monitored for chronic illnesses in Turkey. It is reported that 10-20% (approximately 700,000) of children under the age of 18 are followed up for chronic illnesses. Aim: This compilation is designed to examine how chronic illnesses in childhood affect children and their parents, coping mechanisms in this situation, and the roles of public health nurses in light of the literature. Method: The literature review of the study was conducted between November 15 and December 5, 2023. During the search, queries were performed using the keywords 'Chronic illness' AND 'Parent' AND 'Public health nursing' OR 'Chronic illness' AND 'Parent' AND 'Coping methods' along with their English translations on search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Ebscohost, Scopus, and CINAHL. Results: Chronic illnesses during childhood are categorized based on age groups: infancy (0-1 year), toddlerhood (1-3 years), preschool period (3-6 years), school-age period (6-12 years), and adolescence (12-18 years). Subsequently, the impact of chronic illness on parents and the role of nurses, the effect of chronic illness on siblings, coping mechanisms for children with chronic illnesses, and nursing care based on age groups are discussed. Conclusion: Coping with chronic illnesses can be a challenging process for both children and their families. Therefore, the support provided by healthcare professionals, especially public health nurses, to these families is of critical importance.