The Hypoglycemia Fear Survey ? Parent version: Comparison of mothers? and fathers? reports on the worry subscale items in a population-based study

Background: In a population-based study we showed fear of hypoglycemia as measured by the Hypoglycemia Fear Survey ? Parent version (HFS-P) to be higher in mothers compared to fathers of children with type 1 diabetes. Associations between the HFS-P worry subscale scores and both parental emotional distress and poor metabolic control in the child indicated a need of enhanced focus on parental worries of hypoglycemia including differences between mothers and fathers. Aim: The aim of this sub study was therefore to analyze differences between mothers? and fathers? single item scores in the HFS-P worry subscale. Method: Mothers (103) and fathers (97) representing 115 children (1-15 years) with type 1 diabetes participated in the study (response rate: 72%). The HFS-P consists of a worry and a behavior subscale and the worry subscale described in this study includes 15 items measuring anxiety-provoking aspects of hypoglycemia. Cronbach?s alpha for the worry subscale was 0.89 for both the mothers and fathers. Exact Wilcoxon tests were performed to analyze differences between mothers? and fathers? answers on each item. Results: Mean age of the 115 children were 10.6 yrs (range 1.6-15.9), mean diabetes duration 3.9 yrs (0.3-14.2) and mean HbA1c level 8.1% (SD 1.03). The Exact Wilcoxon tests showed significantly higher scores in the mothers versus the fathers on the items concerning ?hypoglycemia while asleep? (mean mothers? score/fathers? score, P) (3.37/2.91, P = 0.001), ?no one being around to help during a reaction? (3.28/2.91, P = 0.002) and ?child having seizures or convulsions? (2.93/2.59, P = 0.004). These three items are among the five subscale items with the highest scores in both the mothers and the fathers. Conclusions: The results indicated that the mothers were more worried than the fathers for both severe hypoglycaemia to occur and for the risk that the child should not receive suitable treatment when hypoglycemia occurs. These gender differences should be taken into consideration when the parents? roles and responsibilities for the child?s diabetes care are discussed in consultations.