Emotions in the family facing a diabetes mellitus type 1 diagnosis in their child

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus type 1 is an endocrine illness which causes body deterioration when adequate control is not followed. It is one of the most frequent chronic conditions among infants, and one of the most challenging health problems of the 21st century. This condition causes the family of the infant diagnosed with Diabetes mellitus type 1 to face important economic costs as well as emotional suffering in the form of stress, fear, and anxiety. Thus, the family’s quality of life can be considerably diminished.

Objective: To explore the emotions in the family as a result of their infant‘s diagnosis of Diabetes mellitus type 1.

Method: This is a study with a qualitative-phenomenological approach. Data were collected with an in-depth interview, observations, audio recordings, and field notes. The family comes from a county of Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico.

Results: Emotions-related results are shown in 2 sub-categories: a) at the moment of diagnosis and b) at the moment of arriving at home. The methodological rigor was supported by means of credibility, audit-proneness, and transferability.

Conclusions: Diabetes mellitus type 1 is an illness which causes a significant emotional impact on the family, and within this scenario, we consider that nurses, through diverse forms, can significantly help these families cope with these situations.