MEDICAL communication

Objective: To explore the relationships that emerge amongst caregivers of persons with dementia and stroke when caregivers use written messages as their communication tool in a closed information and communication technology (ICT)-based support group.

Objective: To describe ways family members assist adult patients with prescription medications at home, during medical visits and at the pharmacy. Methods: Online survey of 400 adults (caregivers) who help another adult (care recipient) with prescription medication use. Regression modeled the contribution of caregiver communication during recipients' medical visits, evaluation of physicians' medication communication and discussions with the dispensing pharmacist on caregivers' assistance with home medication management.

Context: Family caregivers (FCGs) of hospice cancer patients face significant challenges related to pain management.

Objective: First, to describe communication of home hospice nurse visits to cancer patient-caregiver dyads. Second, to assess change in communication related to domains of care over the course of visits. Methods: Multi-site prospective observational longitudinal study of audio-recorded home hospice visits (N=537 visits; 101 patient-caregiver dyads; 58 nurses). Communication was coded using the Roter Interaction Analysis System to describe content and process.