Understanding Parents’ Mistakes in Insulin Doses for Hyperglycaemia Treatment

This study focuses on how parents make mistakes when administering insulin doses in treating hyperglycemia in their T1D diabetic children. This research employed a qualitative approach, conducting 58 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 37 Saudi Arabian and Australian parents with T1D children, and 20 combined health professionals and company representatives. A conceptual tree analysis of the interviews was carried out using Atlas software. The initial coding was analyzed into two major themes: Misestimations and misunderstandings of insulin correction doses; and Mistakes in using injection tools and techniques. Each of these themes affords insight into correcting parents’ mistakes in insulin doses through a variety of techniques and technologies for T1D-related insulin delivery. In general, parents had made both corrected and uncorrected mistakes, and surprisingly, many were unfamiliar with the focal meaning of correction doses and how they are estimated or used. Despite significant efforts in diabetes education, the incidence of adverse health outcomes continues. This study shows that parental mistakes in insulin doses for treating hyperglycemia are crucial and involved issues. There are many ways to address these mistakes, and this study seeks to provide recommendations in order improve diabetes care practices.