Parents' reports of "tricks of the trade" for managing childhood chronic illness.
OBJECTIVE
To examine how parents respond to and manage the challenges of childhood chronic illness.


METHODS
Qualitative, comparative, secondary analysis.


METHODS
Fifty-eight families (55 mothers, 44 fathers) with a school-age child (6-15 years old) with a chronic illness.


RESULTS
Three approaches to illness management were identified: strict adherence, flexible adherence, and selective adherence. These approaches varied in the extent to which parents developed and relied on target management behaviors that concurred with or deviated from the treatment plan prescribed by healthcare providers.


CONCLUSIONS
The three management approaches contribute to understanding the processes associated with differing interactions between healthcare professionals and parents when a child has a chronic illness.
Gallo
A M
AM
College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA. agallo@uic.edu
Knafl
K A
KA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009729:Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors