Lived Experience of Refugee Women Residing in Gaza strip, Palestine following Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes

Abstract

This qualitative descriptive study was conducted to explore the lived experience of refugee women residing in Gaza Strip following a diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: The study design was informed by grounded theory analysis. Twenty women who were recently diagnosed with GDM were recruited from the United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) primary health care clinics in the Gaza Strip. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: lack of awareness, coping with the situation, and maintaining sustainability. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Our findings highlight the positive and negative magnitudes experience among GDM women to sustain a new lifestyle, which may inform the UNRWA health care professionals to focus on the barriers that prevent sustaining a healthy life style after the diagnosis of GDM to prevent diabetes type IIin the future.