Fathers of children and adolescents with diabetes: what do we know?

Knowing how fathers contribute to child outcomes is critical in the clinical management of children who have type 1 diabetes. The purposes of this review were to synthesize what is known about the role of fathers and to determine directions for future research. Research studies that reported findings that encompassed fathers' perceptions, knowledge, coping and adjustment, and behavior in relation to their children with type 1 diabetes were reviewed. Research suggests that, although fathers are usually not the primary caregiver or manager of the routine day-to-day care, their contribution to the family through perceptions, knowledge, adjustment, and behavior may be associated with important disease management outcomes.