Experiences of Fathers of Young Children With Severe Congenital Heart Defects in Korea: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Abstract

PurposeThis qualitative descriptive study sought to explore the experiences of fathers of children with severe congenital heart defects (CHDs) in Korea. MethodsThe participants were nine fathers of children under 5 years of age who had undergone open heart surgery within the last 5 years. Data were collected using in-depth individual interviews from February to March 2015. Qualitative data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method. ResultsThree themes and nine sub-themes emerged from the data. The three themes were “heartbreaking suffering,” “self-control during a great struggle,” and “being a father of a child with CHD.” This study described coping strategies that fathers used to balance their life, including self-control, redefinition of the situation, and seeking family support resources, which enabled them to practice normalization and live an ordinary life despite limitations. ConclusionThe findings of this study indicate that considerable psychological distress of fathers was similar to that of mothers for weeks to months after the sudden diagnosis of CHD and heart operations. The results also depict the coping strategies, contemporary fathering experience and the parenting role of fathers in raising children with severe CHDs. Practice implicationsHealthcare professionals should understand the experience of fathers of children with severe CHDs and their needs for social support. It is also necessary to develop nursing interventions that focus on fathers' needs.