ACTA FAC MED NAISS 2021;38(4):380-389

UDC:616.379-008.64-07(55)
DOI:10.5937/afmnai38-28720

Original article

Shocked to Happy: Experiences of Iranian Diabetics in Reaction to the
Bad News of the Diagnosis

Hossein Namdar Areshtanab¹, Hossein Karimi Moonaghi², Maryam Vahidi³,
Leila Jouybari⁴, Amir Emami Zeydi⁵, Hossein Ranjbar⁶

¹Department of Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing, Nursing and Midwifery Faculty,
Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran
²Department of Medical Surgery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran
³Department of Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing, Nursing and Midwifery Faculty,
Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran
⁴Department of Child and Family Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery,
Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, IR Iran
⁵Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery,
Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IR Iran
⁶Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery,Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, IR Iran

SUMMARY

                  Diagnosis of a chronic disease like type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is frequently shocking for patients, which influences their lives. Getting aware of bad news such as obtaining a chronic illness diagnosis is a sensitive issue in patients’ lives. Conversely, reactions to the reception of a diagnosis of diabetes are often varied for a few reasons. To manage the diseases through care planning, the identification and modification of the causes of various reactions are necessary. The aim of the present survey was to investigate the reaction of diabetics to the reception of diabetes diagnosis and its possible reasons. In this qualitative study, in-depth interviews were used. Furthermore, traditional content analysis of semi-structured interviews was conducted using a qualitative strategy with 20 individuals with type 2 diabetes. The purposeful sampling approach was employed for recruiting the participants. Eleven male and nine female participants having type 2 diabetes had been transferred to the diabetes association of Iran for receiving consulting assistance in the areas of nutrition, psychology, and health care. Four categories of reactions have arisen from the investigation including behavioral, emotional, contextual, and cognitive reactions. Reactions to the prognosis of diabetes may be different for some reasons. The findings of the present investigation may be employed by health care providers to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of unusual and usual reactions, their causes, and the context in the early years after the diagnosis and planning care programs for disease management.