A 'normal' life: a qualitative study exploring parents' experiences of everyday life with a child diagnosed with atopic dermatitis and atopic comorbidities.
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) and related atopic diseases are among the chronic health conditions that are becoming more common in children. Children with AD may develop atopic comorbidities, which makes it more difficult to manage treatment and necessitates more precautions in the child's everyday life. The parents of chronically ill children play a key role as the children's primary carers. This article explores the experiences of parents with the everyday tasks related to their children's illnesses.
Methods: Face-to-face interviews in the Capital Region of Denmark, with eleven families with children, aged between one and five years, with AD and at least one atopic comorbidity (food allergy, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis or asthma).
Results: We argue that, aside from the immediate tasks directly linked to the child's treatments, there are numerous other types of tasks, both inside and outside the home, that emerge when a family adjusts to living with a child with AD and atopic comorbidities. We present three major strategies that parents use to protect their child: risk avoidance, pursuing a normal childhood, and good parenting. These strategies are closely related to the parents' wish to give their child as normal a childhood as possible.
Conclusion: Based on the findings, we suggest that healthcare professionals, beside the medical examination and treatment, are sensitive and attentive towards the large amounts of invisible work that parents of children with AD and atopic comorbidities accomplish and maintain awareness that parents may downplay the workload. Knowing the patients as persons can help facilitate and strength a trusting relationship.
期刊介绍:
Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care is an international online open access journal publishing articles with relevance to general practice and primary health care. Focusing on the continuous professional development in family medicine the journal addresses clinical, epidemiological and humanistic topics in relation to the daily clinical practice.
Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care is owned by the members of the National Colleges of General Practice in the five Nordic countries through the Nordic Federation of General Practice (NFGP). The journal includes original research on topics related to general practice and family medicine, and publishes both quantitative and qualitative original research, editorials, discussion and analysis papers and reviews to facilitate continuing professional development in family medicine. The journal''s topics range broadly and include:
• Clinical family medicine
• Epidemiological research
• Qualitative research
• Health services research.