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Sick people

Patients' and carers' experiences of gaining access to acute stroke care: a qualitatitve study

Background Rapid access to acute stroke care is essential to improve stroke patient outcomes. Policy recommendations for the emergency management of stroke have resulted in significant changes to stroke services, including the introduction of hyper-acute care.

Objective To explore patients’ and carers’ experiences of gaining access to acute stroke care and identify the factors that enabled or prevented stroke from being treated as a medical emergency.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:13

Meeting the needs of patients' families in intensive care units

A review of articles published between 2000 and 2013, retrieved from several databases, was conducted to identify research findings regarding nursing interventions intended to meet the needs of the family members of patients in the intensive care unit. The dimensions of need identified were support, comfort, reassurance, information and closeness, with reassurance, information and closeness being the most important. Overall, the needs of patients’ family members were unmet.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:12

Caregiver burden of terminally-ill adults in the home setting

A caregiver is an unpaid person, typically a family member or friend, who helps an ill person with the physical care and management of a disease. The task of care-giving results in additional responsibilities on the caregiver's daily life, and occupies the caregiver's time, energy, and attention, which is demanding and complex. The burden from care-giving, when prolonged, might affect the physical health of caregivers, causing symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, leading to a negative impact on their capacity for social engagement.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:12

Promoting the health of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: patients' and carers' views

The aim of this study was to generate in-depth insights into patients' and family members' understanding of the causation, progression and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the role of health promotion with this population. In particular, we were interested in identifying the ways patients and family members considered that they could maximise their (patients') health, in the presence of this disease.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:11

Exploring the collective hospice caregiving experience

Background: Collective caregiving, performed by caregivers working in pairs (informal primary and secondary caregivers working together), is common in the hospice setting. Research suggests that caregiving pairs may experience different caregiver outcomes. However, little is known about how caregiving pairs differ from solo caregivers (informal primary caregivers) on outcome measures.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:11

The impact of early stroke on identity: A discourse analytic study

This article examines the ways in which sufferers talk about early stroke and the effects this chronic condition has on identify. Traditional research into chronic illness has largely used medical, psychiatric or cognitive models. The authors adopt a social constructionist perspective and use a discourse analytic methodology to study data collected via focus group interaction. Analysis of the data collected shows that participants displayed sensitivity about having acquired a potentially 'damaged' sense of self by mitigating negative features of their experiences.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:10

Hospital at home: a resurgence

Swaleh Toofany examines the evolution and possible future options for hospital at home schemes

Healthcare providers are under pressure to deliver cost-effective care to a population that is ageing. Increased longevity means the number of patients with long-term conditions and chronic illness is growing. Expanding the range of services delivered to patients in their homes may provide a solution by keeping patients out of hospital.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:09

Health-related quality of life among informal caregivers assisting people with multiple sclerosis

Objective: To identify factors affecting the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of informal caregivers assisting people with (multiple sclerosis) MS who have greater functional impairment.

Methods: Data were collected in a national survey of 530 people who provided informal care to people with MS. Multiple linear regression models analyzed these data.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:09

Caring for and caring about: Disentangling the caregiver effect and the family effect

Besides patients’ health and well-being, healthcare interventions may affect the well-being of significant others. Such ‘spill over effects’ in significant others may be distinguished in two distinct effects: (i) the caregiving effect and (ii) the family effect. The first refers to the welfare effects of providing informal care, i.e., the effects of caring for someone who is ill. The second refers to a direct influence of the health of a patient on others’ well-being, i.e., the effects of caring about other people.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:08

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