Document Detail


Exploring factors that influence informal caregiving in medication management for home hospice patients.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20836633     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVE: To explore factors that influence how informal caregivers manage medications as part of caring for hospice patients.
METHODS: Semistructured, open-ended interviews were conducted with 23 informal caregivers and 22 hospice providers from 4 hospice programs in the Chicago metropolitan areas. Qualitative analysis was conducted consistent with the grounded theory approach.
RESULTS: In general, informal caregivers and hospice providers identified similar key factors that facilitated or impeded caregivers' process in managing medications. Caregivers' life experience and self-confidence were considered assets that facilitated medication management. Limitations impeding the process included caregivers' negative emotional states, cognitive and physical impairments, low literacy, other competing responsibilities, as well as patients' negative emotional states and complex medication needs. Furthermore, the social context of medication management emerged as a salient theme: caregivers' good interpersonal relations with patients facilitated medication management, whereas poor communication/relations among caregivers within a support network impeded the process. While both study groups discussed the positive attributes of good caregiver-patient relations and support from multiple caregivers, hospice providers were cautious about the potential adverse influence of close relations with patients on caregivers' decision making about medications and discussed poor communication/relations among informal and privately hired caregivers that often resulted from family conflicts and/or a lack of long-standing leadership.
CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest additional intervention points, beyond knowledge and skill building, that could be addressed to support caregivers in executing medication responsibilities at home for hospice patients.
Authors:
Denys T Lau; Rebecca Berman; Leslie Halpern; A Simon Pickard; Robert Schrauf; Whitney Witt
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of palliative medicine     Volume:  13     ISSN:  1557-7740     ISO Abbreviation:  J Palliat Med     Publication Date:  2010 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-09-14     Completed Date:  2011-02-03     Revised Date:  2012-03-08    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9808462     Medline TA:  J Palliat Med     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1085-90     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Buehler Center on Aging, Health & Society, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA. DenysTLau@yahoo.com
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Aged
Caregivers / psychology*
Chicago
Decision Making*
Drug Therapy / nursing*
Female
Home Nursing / psychology*
Hospice Care / psychology*
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Male
Middle Aged
Qualitative Research
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
K01 AG027295-06/AG/NIA NIH HHS; K01AG027295/AG/NIA NIH HHS
Comments/Corrections

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