Disease burden and symptom management in type 2 diabetic patients: A phenomenological study

Aim: This study was conducted to address the experiences of diabetic patients from a psychosocial perspective, examine the burden of disease, and determine their practices for symptom management. Materials and Methods: In this study, a phenomenological research design, a qualitative research design, was used. The study included 20 diabetic patients. Individual and face-to-face interviews were performed, and Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis method was used to analyze the data. Results: As a result of the data analysis, four categories (challenges with care and treatment, coping with the disease, effects, and healthy life behaviors) and eleven main themes (knowledge, application, symptoms, support resources, spiritual coping methods, physical coping methods, physical effects, spiritual effects, social effects, physical practices, and psychological practices) emerged. Conclusion: It was concluded that the disease burden of diabetic patients is intense and that the participants of the study were not effective in coping with the disease through symptom management and found spirituality important in coping.