How mothers of a child with type 1 diabetes cope with the burden of care: a qualitative study

Abstract

IntroductionCaregiver burden is a complex construct that depends heavily on the context and culture of the community in which care takes place. This study aimed to explore the lived experience of being mothers of a child with type 1 diabetes aged 6 to 18 years.Materials and methodsWe used a qualitative methodology utilizing conventional content analysis. We conducted 24 interviews with 20 mothers who had a child with type 1 diabetes aged 6 to 17 years.ResultsThe mean age of mothers and children were 36.3 and 12.3 years, respectively. The mean of years with the disease was 4.3 years. Thirteen children were girls. The essential theme was coping with the burden of care through personalized coping and active acquisition of social support. The main theme consists of four sub-themes including Crisis in the family and burden of care, Losing the family equilibrium, Personalized coping strategies, and Active acquisition of social support. Mothers used personalized strategies and every support they could get to reach their aim.ConclusionsFamilies of children with type 1 diabetes need extensive and personalized care plans.