Medication management strategies by family caregivers of children with special healthcare needs.

Child Care Health Dev

College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.

Published: September 2023

Background: Little is known about the strategies utilized by family caregivers managing medications for their children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN), those who require higher than normal care due to their multifaceted healthcare needs. Medication management strategies are a set of methods or techniques developed or adapted by caregivers to overcome medication-related barriers and ensure successful therapeutic outcomes. An in-depth understanding of such strategies is a requisite first step toward developing interventions that support caregiver-mediated medication management.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 20 family caregivers of CSHCN who were recruited as part of a community engaged research between Purdue University College of Pharmacy and Indiana Family to Family. Interviews were conducted through zoom and audio recorded. Each participant was provided with a $50 honorarium. Interviews were professionally transcribed and content analyzed to generate categories of medication management strategies.

Results: Five overarching categories of medication management strategies were identified. These included (1) medications, supplies and equipment inventory management; (2) organizing and tracking medications, supplies and equipment; (3) medication-related communication, coordination and engagement; (4) medication administration and (5) researching and learning about medications. Within each category, caregivers developed or adapted specific strategies to overcome barriers in diverse care contexts (e.g., when interacting with healthcare systems, school staff or other members of their household).

Conclusion: These findings can inform current clinical practice through improved awareness of different strategies employed by caregivers and lay a foundation to develop interventions designed to support caregiver mediated medication management.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cch.13102DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

medication management
20
management strategies
12
family caregivers
12
children special
8
special healthcare
8
developed adapted
8
categories medication
8
medications supplies
8
supplies equipment
8
medication
7

Similar Publications

Introduction: Unmet health care needs are seen as a key indicator of equity in access to health care. With younger people, they can lead to poorer health outcomes in adulthood, and in older people they can be associated with an increased risk of mortality. The presence of a disability is considered a risk factor for unmet needs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Sustained effects after a multidisciplinary lifestyle modification program for overweight and obese children.

Obes Res Clin Pract

January 2025

Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University Children's Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University Children's Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department and Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Bioethics, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address:

Background: Lifestyle modification (LM) is the mainstay in the management of obese children. This study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of a pediatric cohort participating in a hospital-based LM program.

Methods: Overweight/obese children and adolescents who visited a multidisciplinary LM program "The Health and Vitality Clinic" were included.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A conceptual framework for identifying and managing system vulnerabilities for diversion of controlled substances in healthcare.

Res Social Adm Pharm

January 2025

Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Suite 425, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3M6, Canada; Research & Innovation, North York General Hospital, 4001 Leslie Street, Toronto, Ontario, M2K 1E1, Canada.

Purpose: Diversion or theft of controlled substances is a recognized problem affecting healthcare systems globally. The purpose of this study was to develop a framework for identifying and characterizing system factors leading to vulnerabilities for diversion within hospitals.

Methods: We applied a qualitative framework method, which involved 1) compiling a list of critical diversion vulnerabilities through observations and proactive risk analyses in the inpatient pharmacy, emergency department and intensive care unit of two Canadian hospitals; 2) coding the vulnerabilities into deductively and inductively derived themes and subthemes; and 3) building a conceptual framework.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study presents a patient with a PET-CT detected residual lacrimal sac tumor who was treated with intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) and concurrent chemotherapy. The patient a 49-year-old male diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the left lacrimal sac had under-went endoscopic surgery. Postoperative PET-CT implied tumor residual in the left lacrimal sac.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The impact of mental health disorders on outcomes following total ankle arthroplasty: A systematic review.

Foot Ankle Surg

January 2025

Foot and Ankle Division, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York City, NY 10002, USA. Electronic address:

Background: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the impact of mental health disorders (MHDs) on the clinical and functional outcomes following total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) for the treatment of end-stage ankle arthritis.

Methods: A systematic review of the EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted in April 2024 following PRISMA guidelines. Data collected included patient demographics, clinical outcomes, complications, and failures.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!