Susanne Olsen Roper

Thirty-one adults with type 1 diabetes participated in this qualitative study to explore reasons why they were willing (had an open attitude) or unwilling (had a closed attitude) to disclose diabetes-related information to others. Participants (61.3% female, mean age 38.48 years, mean duration of diabetes 21.94 years, 100% white) answered open-ended questions about living with type 1 diabetes. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded to identify major patterns that emerged in the data. Reasons for open attitudes included support from others, confidence and feeling comfortable, feeling normal despite diabetes, seeking to educate, and feeling that it was not a major concern to share information with others. Reasons for closed attitudes included fear of discrimination, misunderstanding from others, embarrassment and shame, and feeling that it was not a major concern to share information. A higher number of participants reported open attitudes after diagnosis than at initial diagnosis; a lower number of participants reported closed attitudes after diagnosis than at initial diagnosis. Professionals should consider effective forms of type 1 diabetes–related education to reduce diabetes misconceptions and discrimination against diagnosed individuals. This may help individuals feel more open and willing to adhere to and seek assistance with their diabetes-related self-care.

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are at risk for having higher stress and lower marital quality than other parents. Survey data regarding respite care, marital quality, and daily hassles and uplifts were obtained from 101 mother-father dyads who were together raising at least one child with ASD (total # of children = 118). Number of hours of respite care was positively related to improved marital quality for both husbands and wives, such that a 1-h increase in weekly respite care was associated with a one-half standard deviation increase in marital quality. This relationship was significantly mediated by perceived daily stresses and uplifts in both husbands and wives. More respite care was associated with increased uplifts and reduced stress; increased uplifts were associated with improved marital quality; and more stress was associated with reduced marital quality. The number of children in the family was associated with greater stress, and reduced relational quality and daily uplifts. Results suggest policymakers and practitioners should develop supports for providing respite for families raising children with ASD.

Using daily diary data from 28 later life couples where one spouse had diabetes and osteoarthritis, we examined crossover effects of target spouses' daily activity limitations and their partners' daily mood. On days when target spouses' daily activity limitations were higher than average, partners' positive mood decreased and negative mood increased; when target wives' limitations were higher than average, husbands' positive mood was higher. Marital happiness and frequency of telephone conversations of target spouses buffered some relations. Results advance our understanding of daily health processes within later life marriages by identifying crossover effects of activity limitations of an ill spouse with the mood of their partner and underscore the role of marital happiness and social contacts in buffering these associations.

Title.  Type 1 diabetes: children and adolescents’ knowledge and questions. Aim.  This paper is a report of a study conducted to describe what children and adolescents who have type 1 diabetes know and want to know about the disease.Background.  Research indicates that young people’s knowledge of diabetes may minimize their health complications, because with greater knowledge they may engage in more effective management practices and adherence.Methods.  In this qualitative study, a purposive sample of 58 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes were interviewed in 2005 about what they knew and wanted to know about their disease. Through a process of induction, major themes were identified from the data.Findings.  The six major themes were: (a) Care, including both physical and emotional care, (b) Physiology, (c) Consequences, including both short‐ and long‐term, as well as positive and negative consequences, (d) Cure, (e) Effects on the Family and (f) Experience at Diagnosis. Themes related to the unique challenges associated with type 1 diabetes were also identified.Conclusion.  Nurses, diabetes educators and parents should provide developmentally appropriate information about diabetes care and management, scaffolding on existing knowledge. They should provide child‐centred contexts in which children and adolescents can freely ask questions about their condition and problem‐solve. Programmes that allow young people to develop coping skills and share experiences could also prove beneficial.