title: Research protocol: a synthesis of qualitative studies on the process of adaptation to dependency in elderly persons and their families.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dealing with dependency in the elderly and their families leads us to explore the life experience of those involved together with the processes of adaptation to this condition. A number of original studies have been published which, following a qualitative methodology, have dealt with both dimensions.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  1) To present a synthesis of the qualitative evidence available on the process of adaptation to dependency in elderly persons and their families; 2) to conduct an in-depth study into the experiences and strategies developed by both to optimise their living conditions; 3) to enable standards of action/intervention to be developed in the caregiving environment.A synthesis of qualitative studies is projected with an extensive and inclusive bibliography search strategy. The primary search will focus on the major databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, PSICODOC, Cochrane Library, JBI, EMBASE, LILACS, CUIDEN, CUIDEN qualitative, CUIDATGE, British Nursing Index, SSCI). The secondary search will be conducted in articles taken from the references to studies identified in the articles and reports and the manual search in congresses and foundation papers. Article quality will be assessed by the guide proposed by Sandelowski & Barroso and data extraction done using the QARI data extraction form proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute for Evidence-Based Practice.The synthesis of the findings will be based on the principles and procedures of grounded theory: coding, identification and relationship between categories, and synthesis using constant comparison as a strategy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This synthesis of qualitative evidence will enable us to detect health needs as perceived by the receivers in their own interaction contexts.
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Zone VI Management Vega Media del Segura, 30008 Murcia, Spain. evaabadcorpa@ono.com
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abad-Corpa
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: González-Gil
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Barderas-Manchado
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de la Cuesta-Benjumea
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Monistrol-Ruano
authors.forename: Vinita
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mahtani-Chugani
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez-Hernández
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D002985:Clinical Protocols / Q000592:standards*; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D005195:Family Relations; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D036301:Qualitative Research