Showing papers in "Families, Systems, & Health in 2000"

Family functioning, burden, and reward in the caregiving for chronic mental illness.

Abstract: The burdens that caregivers for the chronically mentally ill experience are reviewed. Rewards that caregivers might experience have been understudied and the sparse literature is herein reviewed. The concept of expressed emotion, the importance of psychoeducation, and the role of family treatment are also reviewed, as they relate to the experience of the caregivers. Family conflict and family intimacy have been found to reflect the degree of burden or reward experienced and it is suggested that the family system, as the context within which the patient exists, be seen as the mediating environment for caregiving burden and reward. Family assessment, including a measure of the comfort with the role of caregiver and the extent of family support, is recommended in the assessment of caregivers. The family s ability to adapt over time is discussed as a measure of the family's ability to solve the problem of caregiving. Future directions for research are also presented.

A Comparison of Carepartner and Patient Experiences with Hospital Care

Abstract: Although family members and other"carepartners"play an important role in the careand support of patients during and afterhospitalization, little attention has been paid toevaluating their experience with hospital systems,or incorporating their perspectives into qualityimprovement efforts.We conducted a nationwide telephone surveyof 1,800 recently discharged patients and theircarepartners regarding their hospital experience.We summarized and compared carepartner andpatient responses to questions regarding sixdomains of care. We also compared responses toindividual survey items to identify specificproblems that carepartners were more likely toreport.Carepartners reported problems more

Literary narratives examining control, loss of control and illness: Perspectives of patient, family and physician.

Abstract: This article examines how three literary narratives portraying the psychological effects of illness deal with issues of control in the doctor-patient-family relationship. Specifically explored are how patient, physician, and family members cope with the feelings of vulnerability and loss of control brought on by illness; and how each seeks to gain and maintain a sense of control in this coping process. Suggestions are offered for uses of these narratives in medical education. By exploring themes of control in the doctor-patient relationship, physicians develop greater insight and empathy that in turn can lead to improved outcomes for both patient and doctor.