Coping Strategies in Caregivers of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type -1
Noshaba Noor, Prof Mohsina Noor Ibrahim, Fawad Suleman Roonjho, Zainab Sher, Usman Tauseef, Syed Habib Ahmed
Pharmacology (2024) Volume 109, Issue 2: 142-150
Abstract
Objective: To determine coping strategies in caregivers of children with type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) using 28 Item BRIEF-COPE scale. Study design: A cross-sectional study. Place and duration: Outpatient department of Paediatric endocrinology, National Institute of Child Health (NICH), Karachi, Pakistan from January 2021 to July 2023. Methodology: A total of 227 caregivers (both genders) aged up to 60 years of children (both genders) aged between 1-14 years and known (already diagnosed) cases of T1DM (as per medical record) were analysed. All study data were collected on a pre-designed self- structured proforma and coping strategy scoring and interpretation using Brief-COPE 28 item self-report English Urdu questionnaire. Results: In a total of 227 caregivers, the mean age of the caregivers and children studied were 39.93±7.13 years and 12.79±4.27 years. The most common relation of the caregivers was mothers, noted in 106 (46.7%). The mean duration of care was 5.71±4.05 years. Cronbach’s Alpha of the total 28-items Brief-COPE questionnaire was adequate showing a score of 0.67. Coping strategies were present among 99 (43.6%) caregivers. The age of the caregivers with coping strategies was significantly higher compared to those without coping strategies (43.05±6.12 vs. 37.51±6.93, p<0.001). There were differences in the speaking language of caregivers with coping strategies, with Urdu being the most common language (40.4% vs. 36.7%, p=0.025). Parents whose children were literate were more likely to have coping strategies (p=0.022). Conclusion: Recognizing that age of the caregivers and language may influence coping strategies, healthcare providers should consider tailoring support and interventions to the specific needs of caregivers in different age groups and linguistic communities. Moreover, the association between a child’s education level and parental coping strategies highlights the importance of involving children in their care management.