The lived experience of fathers who have children with asthma: a phenomenological study

Cashin, Geraldine H. (2003) The lived experience of fathers who have children with asthma: a phenomenological study. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Asthma is the most common chronic illness of childhood. It is a leading cause of school absenteeism and accounts for a major portion of pediatric admissions to emergency departments and hospitals. When a child is diagnosed with asthma, parents become responsible for the long-term management of a chronic condition that may be characterized by unpredictable and irregular episodes. -- Most of the research concerning parents and childhood asthma is focussed on mothers. The small number of studies in which mothers and fathers were compared revealed that differences do exist between their experiences and responses. Paternal perspectives and experiences of caring for a child with asthma have been sparsely explored. -- This phenomenological study used van Manen's (1994) method of inquiry to explore the lived experience of fathers who have children with asthma. A sample of eight fathers with children aged 7 to 11 years who had been diagnosed with asthma were interviewed in order to find out what their experiences were like. From the analysis of the interview data, five themes were identified: feeling relief in knowing the diagnosis, learning the ropes, living with concern, being vigilant, and being comfortable with asthma management. The findings from this study have implications for nursing practice, education, and research. Understanding the experience of fathers who have children with asthma, and gaining insight into their needs and concerns is a first step to providing supportive nursing care. It is important to include fathers in future research studies and examine their unique experience in parenting ill children.

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