Parents\' Worries about Life Problems of Adolescent Girls with Diabetes: a Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background & Aim: Parents participation in management of diabetes has been recognized to be beneficent. Recognizing parents&apos worries should be addressed to plan effective health promoting programs. This study aimed to explore parents&apos worries about life problems of adolescent girls with diabetes. Methods & Materials: In this qualitative study, 26 parents (16 mothers and 10 fathers) of adolescent girls with type 1 diabetes were recruited using purposive sampling from the Diabetes Society in west Azerbaijan. Data were collected using in-depth and semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the transcripts was guided by qualitative content analysis. Results: Qualitative content analysis demonstrated three original categories from parents&apos worries: 1) worries about the future 2) worries about the treatments and 3) worries about the society. Conclusion: Better perception of parents&apos concerns may promote effective communication between health professionals and parents. Modification of parents&apos personal control and perceived threat through appropriate educational programs that acknowledge and address their concerns may be a means of empowering parents.

Keywords

• parents concerns
• diabetes mellitus
• girl adolescents
• parents
• qualitative research