Examining the Relationship Between Earthquake-Induced Stress and Chronic Disease Management in Parents of Diabetic Children in Turkey.

Background and Purpose: Natural disasters such as earthquakes create major challenges for families managing chronic illnesses, particularly children with diabetes. Earthquake-related stress intensifies the demands of disease management and increases family burden. Guided by the Family Management Style Framework, this study examined how parents' coping with earthquake stress influences their ability to manage their child's condition. Method: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 140 parents of children with diabetes receiving care at a training and research hospital. Data were collected between March and June 2023 using an Information Form, Coping with Earthquake Stress Scale, and Family Management Measure. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data.

Results

The findings revealed significant relationships between coping strategies and family management outcomes. Disease management was positively associated with family functioning (p < .05), while life challenges and lower parental agreement were negatively correlated with family management scores (p < .05). Regression analysis showed that earthquake stress coping strategies significantly predicted family management outcomes, explaining 26.2% of the variance (R² = .262, F = 2.402, p = .021). Implications for Practice: The parents' coping with earthquake-related stress is a significant predictor of family management outcomes, explaining 26.2% of the variance. Interventions that strengthen adaptive coping strategies, enhance family functioning, and support parental agreement may improve chronic disease management in children with diabetes following disasters. Health care professionals should prioritize psychosocial support and family-centered education to mitigate life challenges and support effective disease management in postearthquake settings.