Experiences of family caregivers of young persons living with type 1 diabetes at the Effia Nkwanta regional hospital

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of family caregivers of young persons living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Sekondi/Takoradi Municipality of the Western Region. This study made use of a qualitative research approach with exploratory-descriptive design and recruited fourteen family caregivers of young persons living with T1D. Participants recruited for this study were 18years and above. From the study findings emerged four major themes, namely: perceptions, experiences, challenges and coping strategies. Generally, participants reported having not heard about T1D prior to their child being diagnosed of the condition. As a result, most of them delayed in reporting their child’s condition to the hospital and went through varied experiences on hearing the news about their child’s diagnosis. However, after the diagnosis, they became very conversant with the basic knowledge required for the management of T1D at home through the health education they received at the clinic. With T1D being identified as a serious chronic disease associated with complications, participants attributed its cause to several factors. Although T1D was reported as a difficult diagnosis, participants learnt how to manage the condition and all of them were able to recount the role they play in diabetes management with the goal of seeing their child’s blood glucose within the normal ranges. Most of these participants were familiar with the signs and symptoms of hypoglycaemia. Also, the study participants reported challenges that bothered on the psychological, social and financial aspects of their lives. Finally, in order to cope with the stress associated with T1D and its managements, findings from the study identified the coping strategies family caregivers use such as religious beliefs, social support, family involvement and embracing the new normal.