عنوان

It's life - but not as we know it :

TLets485985

It's life - but not as we know it :

[Thesis]

King, Kathryn M.

Adolescents' Perspectives of type 1 Diabetes

University of Sunderland

2008

Ph.D.

University of Sunderland

2008

Long-term healthcare for adolescents with type 1 diabetes falls short of governmentstandards (DoH, 2007). Whilst some improvement may be achieved by education,further improvement may be achievable by an improved know.ledge, not only of. thepatient's perceptions of their disease, but also of those of the healthcare professionalscharged with their care. This study aimed to increase knowledge, concerning theattitudes of patients and healthcare professionals, by eliciting the 'lived experience' ofadolescent patients and the views oftheir healthcare professionals. A literature review elicits current knowledge and locates the research within the currenthealthcare agenda. The aetiology, pathophysiology and management of type 1 diabetesare reviewed, followed by an overview of adolescence and the psycho-sociological andcognitive development of the adolescent. Finally, the review surveys adolescents anddiabetes, perceptions of illness and the subjectivity of individuals with chronic illness. A qualitative study, utilising the principles of ground theory (Strauss and Corbin 1998),has been undertaken using patients and healthcare professio~als from the city ofSunderland. Twenty in-depth, interviews were carried out with patients, aged 16 to 21years, living with type 1 d~abetes. Patients from Sunderland City Hospital were invitedto 'tell their story' concerning, their 'lived experience' of diabetes. Interviews wereterminated when 'data saturation had been attained. Focus group interviews werecarried out with five groups ofhealthcare professionals. All interviews were analysed toallow for the emergence of themes and categories.

King, Kathryn M.

University of Sunderland

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y