Strategies of Mothers in Life Management Along with a Child with Congenital Heart Disease: Valuable Experience of Iranian Mothers

Abstract

Mothers of children with congenital heart disease used a variety of ways for caring. Mothers, caring approach is dependent on several factors: Culture, mentality and attitude, available resources. Aim: This study investigates how Iranian mothers of children with congenital heart disease manage care according to their context. Study Design: A qualitative content analysis was used to obtain rich data. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in Kerman, Iran from 2014 till 2016, among mothers of children with CHD. Methodology: The purposive sampling technique was used to select the participants. Participants were 17 mothers and 3 fathers of children with CHD and 3 heart surgery nurses, from two hospitals affiliated with the Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Twenty five semi-structured interviews were constructed. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Constant comparative method was used for data analysis. Results: The analyzed data were made into four main themes and nine sub-themes. The main themes are Wise to wait (Patient care, enduring difficulties and sufferings), improving living conditions (Imposing situations’ pressure on self, gradually coping with child’s disease, Providing appropriate conditions for the child), acceptance of limitations of sick child (acceptance of the conditions of child by mother, acceptance of the limitations by the child), empowering (Empowerment of the child, self-empowerment) appeared by analyzing data. The results of this study may help health care professionals in understanding strategies of mother’s care of children with congenital heart disease in Iran.