A survey study of family members' encounters with healthcare services within the care of older people, psychiatric care, palliative care and diabetes care

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe and compare family members' experiences of approach in encounters with healthcare professionals and possible feelings of alienation in the professional care within four care contexts: the care of older people, psychiatric care, palliative care and diabetes care. The design was an explorative cross-sectional survey study. Data were collected in Sweden using the Family Involvement and Alienation Questionnaire-Revised (FIAQ-R). It measures family members' experiences of the healthcare professionals' approach and the family members' feeling of alienation from the provision of professional care. A total of 1047 questionnaires were distributed to family members using convenient sampling method, of which 294 were included. Data were analysed using rank-based, non-parametric statistical methods. The results indicated that most respondents experienced a positive actual approach from the healthcare professionals. Many participants rated the importance of approach at a higher level than their actual experience. Participants in the context of diabetes care reported a more negative actual approach from the healthcare professionals than did participants in the other contexts and considered the healthcare professionals' approach towards them as being less important. The results for the entire group indicated that the participants felt a low level of alienation from the professional care. Participants in the context of the care of older people reported significantly lower level of feeling of being alienated than did participants in the contexts of psychiatric care and diabetes care. The differences between participants in diabetes care and other care contexts can possibly be explained by a more fully implemented self-care approach among the patients in diabetes care than in the other care contexts. Even though the results are quite positive, it is still important that nurses consider a family-centred approach to better adapt to the needs of both the family members and the patients.