Achieving a balanced life in the face of chronic illness.
The increasing prevalence of chronic disease is a driver of health system reform in most economically advanced nations. A consistent theme within these reforms is building greater patient-centredness into the health care delivery. This study aims to develop an in-depth understanding of the experience of patients and family carers affected by chronic illness that will be the basis on which to propose policy and health system interventions that are patient-centred. Participants struggled with the ongoing tasks of balancing their lives with the increasing demands and intrusion of chronic illness. Their attempts to achieve a balance were seriously hampered by fragmented services, complexity in navigating health services, relationships with health professionals and others, and co-morbidity. Future policy directions include designing models of care and infrastructure that enable patients and their family carers to balance life and illness, and aligning patient-centred care not only within health services but also with community and social support services.
Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute, Menzies Centre for Health Policy, The Australian National University, Building 62, Mills Road, Acton, ACT 0200, Australia. yjeon@usyd.edu.au
Yun-Hee
YH
Jeon
Tanisha
T
Jowsey
Laurann
L
Yen
Nicholas J
NJ
Glasgow
Beverley
B
Essue
Marjan
M
Kljakovic
Carmen
C
Pearce-Brown
Masoud
M
Mirzaei
Tim
T
Usherwood
Stephen
S
Jan
Stefan G
SG
Kraus
Clive
C
Aspin
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020958:Australian Capital Territory; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009517:New South Wales; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile