Understanding Daily, Emotional, and Physical Burdens and Needs of Parents Caring for Children with Type 1 Diabetes
Table 2
Median and mean (SD) of daily, emotional, and physical parental burdens by parent’s gender, living arrangement, child’s age, and technology use.
Daily burden
Emotional burden
Physical burden
Mdn
(SD)
Mdn
(SD)
Mdn
(SD)
Gender of the participating parent
<0.0001
<0.0001
=0.024
Mothers
4
3.48 (1.09)
4
3.72 (1.10)
2
2.51 (1.27)
Fathers
3
3.00 (1.01)
3
3.19 (1.14)
2
2.25 (1.04)
Parent’s living arrangement
=0.021†
=0.036†
=0.002†
With a spouse ()
3
3.40 (1.09)
4
3.60 (1.14)
2
2.41 (1.21)
Mother ()
4
3.45 (1.10)
4
3.70 (1.11)
2
2.45 (1.25)
Father ()
3
2.98 (1.01)
3
3.17 (1.15)
2
2.24 (1.04)
Alone ()
4
3.56 (1.04)
4
3.79 (1.07)
3
2.72 (1.32)
Mother ()
4
3.58 (1.04)
4
3.81 (1.07)
3
2.75 (1.34)
Father ()
3
3.27 (0.96)
3
3.47 (1.06)
3
2.33 (0.98)
Child’s age group
<0.0001
=0.095
<0.0001
<13 years ()
4
3.63 (1.03)
4
3.70 (1.15)
3
2.73 (1.25)
≥13 years ()
3
3.21 (1.08)
4
3.61 (1.08)
2
2.27 (1.18)
Diabetes technology: CSII, CGM
<0.0001
= 0.114
<0.0001
No use of CSII or CGM ()
3
3.11 (1.14)
4
3.54(1.20)
2
2.21 (1.26)
Use of ≥ 1 technology ()
4
3.53 (1.05)
4
3.70 (1.08)
2
2.56 (1.24)
Note: the values are based on the Mann–Whitney test. †According to the Mann–Whitney test of two living arrangement groups (living with a spouse vs. alone).