Effect of caring for children with type I diabetes on parent’s life

Abstract

Introduction Type 1 diabetes mellitus is one of the commonest chronic health conditions in children. The risk of complications in diabetes is common, so parents live with constant worry about their child’s health. The condition requires also a higher degree of behavioral regulation than normal children of the similar age. The children naturally must rely on their parents for instruction, support, and daily help. Therefore, type 1 diabetes mellitus is ‘a family condition’ challenging the patient’s social and familial circle. Objective The aim was to assess parental stress and quality of life (QOL) in parents of diabetic children. Participants and methods A case–control study was done on 100 parents, recruited from endocrine department and clinic at Al Zahra University Hospital, who were classified in two groups: group I included 50 parents of diabetic children and group II included 50 control parents of nondiabetic children. They were subjected to the following: sociodemographic data, parent stress index questionnaire, and QOL questionnaire. Results Stress is significant among parents of diabetic children, with significant statistical relation between both groups regarding depression, attachment, sense of competence, role restriction, and social isolation. A significant statistical relation was also found regarding duration of diabetes and child age. QOL was also significantly diminished in parents of diabetic children. Conclusion Parents of diabetic children are at increased risk for stress, which in turn affects their QOL.