Among the chronic diseases, Type I Diabetes Mellitus in the middle childhood deserves careful consideration, due to its peculiar characteristics. The first reason is the increase in the incidence of the disease: this increase is constant and real, not due to the simple increase in the number of diagnoses (as in the case of other chronic diseases). Secondly, this disease requires daily and complicated management, which involves not only glycemic controls and insulin administration but also continuous and accurate monitoring of nutrition and physical activity. Finally, middle childhood represents an age group that is somehow neglected by literature, but also interesting for the socio-cultural changes that go through it. The chapter takes into account the impact of the diagnosis on the family, both at the time of the communication of the diagnosis, and in the moment of chronicity, the relationships and of the social context, the coping strategies and the representation of the disease. We therefore focused on middle childhood, including data from a pilot study, whose goal is to evaluate the representation of life experience with Diabetes or with a diabetic child, happiness, satisfaction, and adherence to therapy. 50 families (father, patient, mother), with children aged between 8 and 15 years and diagnosed with Type I Diabetes Mellitus for at least three years, were asked to write down their life experience and compile Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS Diener, Emmons, Larsen and Griffin, 1984) and the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS Lyubomirsky, Lepper 1999). Disease management was assessed with Self Care Inventory (SCI La Greca 2004) and with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values. Detailed analyses are reported in the chapter and the results are discussed. In short, the lives of patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and their parents is certainly demanding, but the disease does not prevent subjective happiness or life satisfaction. The subjects of our example show that they know how to tell their own story, so that they can think and contain it in their mind and maybe that’s why they live well, despite the difficulties.
Coping with chronic illness: type I diabetes. A pilot study in middle childhood
Manfredi Paola
In corso di stampa
Abstract
Among the chronic diseases, Type I Diabetes Mellitus in the middle childhood deserves careful consideration, due to its peculiar characteristics. The first reason is the increase in the incidence of the disease: this increase is constant and real, not due to the simple increase in the number of diagnoses (as in the case of other chronic diseases). Secondly, this disease requires daily and complicated management, which involves not only glycemic controls and insulin administration but also continuous and accurate monitoring of nutrition and physical activity. Finally, middle childhood represents an age group that is somehow neglected by literature, but also interesting for the socio-cultural changes that go through it. The chapter takes into account the impact of the diagnosis on the family, both at the time of the communication of the diagnosis, and in the moment of chronicity, the relationships and of the social context, the coping strategies and the representation of the disease. We therefore focused on middle childhood, including data from a pilot study, whose goal is to evaluate the representation of life experience with Diabetes or with a diabetic child, happiness, satisfaction, and adherence to therapy. 50 families (father, patient, mother), with children aged between 8 and 15 years and diagnosed with Type I Diabetes Mellitus for at least three years, were asked to write down their life experience and compile Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS Diener, Emmons, Larsen and Griffin, 1984) and the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS Lyubomirsky, Lepper 1999). Disease management was assessed with Self Care Inventory (SCI La Greca 2004) and with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values. Detailed analyses are reported in the chapter and the results are discussed. In short, the lives of patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and their parents is certainly demanding, but the disease does not prevent subjective happiness or life satisfaction. The subjects of our example show that they know how to tell their own story, so that they can think and contain it in their mind and maybe that’s why they live well, despite the difficulties.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
