OBJECTIVE: To assess the anxiety, emotions, thoughts, and coping behaviors of parents 1 week after they receive the results of screening of their infant's genetic risk of type 1 diabetes mellitus. DESIGN: Survey. SETTING: The population-based Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention project conducted in Turku. PARTICIPANTS: Parents of 443 consecutive high-risk infants and 506 next-born low-risk infants. INTERVENTIONS: An infant's genetic risk of type 1 diabetes mellitus was measured from cord blood. High-risk information was delivered by telephone and low-risk information by mail 4 weeks later. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Anxiety measured using the state anxiety scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and feelings, thoughts, and coping behaviors extracted from the questionnaire. RESULTS: One week after obtaining the results, 67% of mothers and 63% of fathers of high-risk children and 58% of mothers and 54% of fathers of low-risk children had returned the questionnaire. Anxiety levels of parents of high-risk infants were similar to those of parents of low-risk infants (P = .86). More than 90% of the parents thought that it was good to know about the risk. Fifty-five percent of mothers and 37% of fathers of high-risk infants expressed modest worry. Increased anxiety was connected with other stressful life events, catastrophizing thoughts of diabetes mellitus risk, and emotion-focused or avoiding coping attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: Learning about their infant's genetic diabetes mellitus risk induces only mild anxiety in most parents. Identifying the few parents with stronger anxiety helps focus intensified counseling.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the anxiety, emotions, thoughts, and coping behaviors of parents 1 week after they receive the results of screening of their infant's genetic risk of type 1 diabetes mellitus. DESIGN: Survey. SETTING: The population-based Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention project conducted in Turku. PARTICIPANTS: Parents of 443 consecutive high-risk infants and 506 next-born low-risk infants. INTERVENTIONS: An infant's genetic risk of type 1 diabetes mellitus was measured from cord blood. High-risk information was delivered by telephone and low-risk information by mail 4 weeks later. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Anxiety measured using the state anxiety scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and feelings, thoughts, and coping behaviors extracted from the questionnaire. RESULTS: One week after obtaining the results, 67% of mothers and 63% of fathers of high-risk children and 58% of mothers and 54% of fathers of low-risk children had returned the questionnaire. Anxiety levels of parents of high-risk infants were similar to those of parents of low-risk infants (P = .86). More than 90% of the parents thought that it was good to know about the risk. Fifty-five percent of mothers and 37% of fathers of high-risk infants expressed modest worry. Increased anxiety was connected with other stressful life events, catastrophizing thoughts of diabetes mellitus risk, and emotion-focused or avoiding coping attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: Learning about their infant's genetic diabetes mellitus risk induces only mild anxiety in most parents. Identifying the few parents with stronger anxiety helps focus intensified counseling.
Authors: Eszter Goldstein; Robert Hermann; Timo J Renfors; Kirsti M Näntö-Salonen; Tapio Korhonen; Maarit Kärkkäinen; Riitta K Veijola; Mikael Knip; Tuula T Simell; Olli G Simell Journal: Diabetes Care Date: 2009-09-14 Impact factor: 19.112
Authors: Ulrica Swartling; Kristian Lynch; Laura Smith; Suzanne Bennett Johnson Journal: J Empir Res Hum Res Ethics Date: 2016-05-30 Impact factor: 1.978