%0 Journal Article
%T Sleep in Caregivers of Children With Type 1 Diabetes
%A Anna L. Allende
%A Christine A. Feeley
%A Denise Charron-Prochownik
%A Eileen R. Chasens
%A Linda Siminerio
%A Marilyn Clougherty
%J The Diabetes Educator
%@ 1554-6063
%D 2019
%R 10.1177/0145721718812484
%X The purpose of this study was to explore caregivers¡¯ descriptions of their experience of nighttime sleep. Caregivers (N = 22) of children 10 to 18 years of age with type 1 diabetes (T1D) were recruited for this descriptive study. Anonymous questionnaires contained demographic information and both open- and closed-ended questions that focused on caregiving as it related to sleep. Open-ended questions were reviewed to help understand the effect of nocturnal caregiving activities on parental sleep. The sample of caregivers were all female and had a mean age of 43 years; 96% graduated high school, 68% were married or partnered, and 100% were white. Children had been diagnosed with T1D for a mean of 5 years, with a mean age of 12.2 years. Caregivers reported short sleep duration (mean, 5.8 hours). Over half of the participants reported they required ¡İ7 hours of sleep to feel their best, 64% indicated trouble sleeping at night, and 86% reported that caregiving interfered with their nighttime sleep, while 54% responded that sleep was ¡°very important.¡± Content analysis of the open-ended questions revealed 2 themes: (1) anxiety about the child¡¯s blood glucose levels and (2) nighttime disruptions. Caregivers are frequently sleep deprived and worry about their child¡¯s nighttime glucose. Caregiving duties, anxiety, and sleep fragmentation may contribute to their poor sleep
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0145721718812484