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Categorizing the Effect of Comorbidity: A Qualitative Study of Individuals' Experiences in a Low-Vision Rehabilitation Program.
- Source :
-
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society . Oct2011, Vol. 59 Issue 10, p1802-1809. 8p. 1 Diagram, 4 Charts. - Publication Year :
- 2011
-
Abstract
- Objectives To identify generalizable ways that comorbidity affects older adults' experiences in a health service program directed toward an index condition and to develop a framework to assist clinicians in approaching comorbidity in the design, delivery, and evaluation of such interventions. Design A qualitative data content analysis of interview transcripts to identify themes related to comorbidity. Setting An outpatient low-vision rehabilitation program for macular disease. Participants In 2007/08, 98 individuals undergoing low-vision rehabilitation and their companions provided 624 semistructured interviews that elicited perceptions about barriers and facilitators of successful program participation. Results The interviews revealed five broad themes about comorbidity: (i) 'good days, bad days,' reflecting participants' fluctuating health status during the program because of concurrent medical problems; (ii) 'communication barriers.' which were sometimes due to participant impairments and sometimes situational; (iii) 'overwhelmed,' which encompassed pragmatic and emotional concerns of participants and caregivers; (iv) 'delays,' which referred to the tendency of comorbidities to delay progress in the program and to confer added inconvenience during lengthy appointments; and (v) value of companion involvement in overcoming some barriers imposed by comorbid conditions. Conclusion This study provides a taxonomy and conceptual framework for understanding consequences of comorbidity in the experience of individuals receiving a health service. If confirmed in individuals receiving interventions for other index diseases, the framework suggests actionable items to improve care and facilitate research involving older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *CHRONIC diseases & psychology
*EVALUATION of medical care
*MEDICAL care for older people
*ANALYSIS of variance
*CONCEPTUAL structures
*CONTENT analysis
*EMOTIONS
*EXPERIENCE
*HEALTH services accessibility
*INTERVIEWING
*LONGITUDINAL method
*RESEARCH methodology
*SCIENTIFIC observation
*HEALTH outcome assessment
*RESEARCH funding
*RETINAL degeneration
*SOUND recordings
*PSYCHOLOGICAL stress
*COMORBIDITY
*QUALITATIVE research
*COMMUNICATION barriers
*THEMATIC analysis
*TREATMENT effectiveness
*GERIATRIC Depression Scale
*DATA analysis software
*OLD age
*PSYCHOLOGY
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00028614
- Volume :
- 59
- Issue :
- 10
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 66674529
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03602.x