En sjukdom för livet
Ungdomars upplevelse av att leva med diabetes typ 1
Diabetes mellitus type 1AdolescentsExperienceSelf careSupportDiabetes mellitus typ 1UngdomarUpplevelserEgenvårdStöd
Background: In Sweden 750 children and adolescents? are diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 1 every year. Adolescence is often a time of searching for identity and liberation from parents. Through this period adolescents are supposed to find their place in society. For the affected adolescents a new world of challenges suddenly opens. Aim: The purpose was to describe adolescents? experience of living with diabetes mellitus type 1. Method: The study is based on scientific articles that have been found from databases. The participated adolescents in the articles were 10-19 years old. Result: The results showed that diabetes affected the adolescents? lives greatly. There were both positive and negative experiences that often depended on how well the disease was integrated into their lives. Peers and parents had an important role in providing support but also sometimes felt nagging and overprotective. Conclusions: It?s important for the nurse to have knowledge about diabetes and how it affects life of adolescent. The adolescents thought it was important to control the disease and to be like everybody else. In this matter it is important for the nurse to be able to educate and support adolescents? and protect their integrity through understanding and knowledge.