Pediatric home ventilator care : family caregivers' perspectives / Linda E. Hock-Long.

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Microformat

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Hock-Long, Linda E.

Contributor:

Vaughan, Peter B., advisor.

University of Pennsylvania.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Penn dissertations--Social work.

Social work--Penn dissertations.

Local Subjects:

Penn dissertations--Social work.

Social work--Penn dissertations.

Physical Description:

xv, 231 pages ; 29 cm

Production:

1997.

Summary:

The Congressional Task Force on Technology Dependent Children was established to investigate barriers to home-based services for children with increasingly complex health conditions in 1985. Given the paucity of information available at the time, the Task Force identified the need for research on key issues such as factors influencing individual and family adaptation. Although high technology home care now represents one of the fastest growing sectors of the U.S. health care industry, the family implications of this trend continue to receive limited attention. Consequently, this study examined demands associated with pediatric home ventilator care, resources that support families' home care efforts, caregivers' perceptions of their home care experiences, and the extent to which caregiver psychological functioning is related to demands and resources.

The study's conceptual framework drew from social ecology theory and the Family Adjustment and Adaptation Response Model both of which acknowledge that individual and family functioning are related to a multiplicity of factors. Due to the limited research in this area, qualitative and quantitative methods were combined. The Profile of Mood States represented the measure of caregiver psychological functioning and the Feetham Family Functioning Survey the measure of family functioning. The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Survey Edition was used to assess children's functional skills, and information regarding caregiver and family experiences was gathered via researcher-generated questionnaires.

Participants included 85 primary family caregivers involved in pediatric home ventilator care in Pennsylvania. Duration of home care ranged from 9 months to 16 years, with a median of 2.7 years. Stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that family functioning $(p<.001)$ and caregiver level of education $(p<.05)$ were the most significant predictors of caregiver psychological functioning in this study. Demands associated with home care included increased out-of-pocket expenses and lack of privacy due to the presence of home care providers. Social support and reliable home care services were identified as important resources. Findings suggest that future research is needed to better understand the financial implications of home care and the services needed to support families efforts given that home care involvement can extend for a number of years.

Notes:

Thesis (Ph.D. in Social Work) -- University of Pennsylvania, 1997.

Includes bibliographical references.

Local Notes:

University Microfilms order no.: 98-14857.

OCLC:

77849012