Problems of Mothers in Management of Children with Diabetes

Abstract

This study was designed to determine which aspects of diabetic management were perceived by mothers of children with diabetes to be the most problematic. A secondary purpose was to explore how age and sex of the child, age at diagnosis, illness duration, marital status, and socioeconomic status of the mother were related to the mother's perception of problematic aspects of care. The 84 subjects in this study were asked to complete the Diabetic Management Concern Questionnaire, which measures concern about 11 dimensions of diabetes management, along with a personal-situational information sheet. Results indicated that the three dimensions classified by mothers as most problematic were future concerns, hypoglycemia, and diabetic control. The younger the child, the greater the maternal concern about hypoglycemic reactions and availability of help/support. The younger the child was at diagnosis, the more the mother was concerned with hypoglycemic reactions. A shorter duration of illness was related to concern about insulin injections. Subjects with lower socioeconomic status were concerned about finances, the availability of help/support, and the psychological stigma of diabetes. Single mothers were also concerned about financial aspects of management. There were no differences in concerns between mothers of boys and girls. Implications of the findings for clinical practice are presented.