PERSONAL ILLNESS MODELS OF DIABETES - PARENTS OF PREADOLESCENTS AND ADOLESCENTS

The purpose of this research was to explore personal illness models of parents of preadolescents and adolescents regarding diabetes mellitus . Personal illness models were defined as the parents' cognitive repre sentations of the disease. Fifty-five parents of children ages 10 to 1 7 years with a diagnosis of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus were i nterviewed using a semistructured questionnaire. Data were content ana lyzed for common themes. Parents attributed the cause of diabetes to g enetics coupled with a viral infection. Most believed the diabetes wou ld last a lifetime but they were hopeful for ct cure. Parents requeste d ongoing education for their children, support groups, counseling, on e consistent healthcare provider and intensive insulin therapy. Parent s reported that the major problems caused by diabetes were increased s tructure of daily routines and that their children with diabetes felt different from healthy peers. Parents' fears about diabetes included l ong-term complications, early death, and severe insulin reactions.