Abstract
There is limited qualitative research investigating fathers’ experiences of raising a child with type 1 diabetes (T1D), even though the literature has reported that a diagnosis of T1D can be life-changing and traumatic for parents, and that fathers play a role in child outcomes. Therefore, it is important for both fathers’ and their child’s health and wellbeing, that fathers’ experiences are considered. The aim of the current study is to explore fathers’ experiences of raising a child with T1D, with a focus on understanding these experiences through masculinity, fatherhood and men’s mental health. Online blogs authored by fathers of children with T1D were used for data collection. Nine father’s blogs were identified and relevant blog posts pertaining to experiences raising a child with T1D were thematically analysed. The findings suggested that fathers experience ongoing psychological distress and identified some of the ways in which they manage these feelings. This was through having active involvement in T1D-related activities to raise awareness and support finding a cure, and connecting with others who share the experience of T1D. Within T1D healthcare, clinicians should ensure they are exploring fathers’ mental health needs and offer support where required, whilst considering the differences in how men may present with psychological distress and the influences of masculinity on the reporting of distress. Clinicians should make fathers aware of local T1D organisations and charities that they can become involved in, and provide information on ways that they can connect with others with T1D, both online and face-to-face. Future research could explore developing targeted interventions for fathers focussed on aspects of these findings, and evaluate the outcomes on fathers’ mental health and their child’s health.