A lifeworld phenomenological study of the experience of falling ill with diabetes

摘要

Background and aim: The aim of the study was to develop knowledge from a patient perspective about falling ill with diabetes.The focus on the process of falling ill process is useful to increase the understanding of this patient group and thus these patientscould be met in a way that better lessens their suffering and better facilitates their adaptation to the illness and the new lifesituation.Design: The study has been carried out within caring science and a lifeworld phenomenological approach. The data werecomposed by written narratives, which were analyzed for meaning.Participants and setting: Seven persons with newly discovered diabetes at two hospitals in the south of Sweden haveparticipated in the study.Results: The result shows that the essential meaning of falling ill with diabetes is a fight not to become one's illness, thateverything is to remain as usual and that the new situation will become the natural one. To fall ill with diabetes means to beinvolved in a course of events charged with emotional diversity. An initial feeling of bodily imbalance can be denied orgiven a natural explanation, but gives rise to a suspicion that something is wrong. When the bodily imbalance is verified asdiabetes, it can be acknowledged and eventually accepted, but the acceptance is possibly an illusory or false reconciliationto be able to go on. There is anyway no choice, if they want to feel well they have to be "adaptable" to their illness, whichmakes demands that have to be reconciled; demands that must not be allowed to "govern" their lives. Despite beingdiagnosed with diabetes they still want to continue the same life and be the same persons as before-although they nowcarry a disease.Conclusion: The result of the study indicates that more caring focus needs to be directed to the process of fallingill. More effortsare needed to prevent the ill persons from becoming their illness.