Background
Research interest
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The importance of support from GPs for family caregivers
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The support requirements of family caregivers with respect to GPs
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The extent to which support from GPs matches the requirements, desires and expectations of family caregivers respectively the challenges and problems family caregivers are confronted with
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Indications of influential factors regarding the experienced support from GPs that might have a moderating effect on the satisfaction of family caregivers with the GP’s support
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Any potential to optimise support given by GPs
Methods
Study design
Survey method
It’s important to me that the general practitioner... | Very important/ Moderately important (N = 612) | The general practitioner I consult in care matters... | Completely agree/ Somewhat agree (N = 438) |
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... is familiar with everyday life and challenges of caring for family members. | 85% | ... is familiar with everyday life and challenges of caring for family members. | 72% |
… is familiar with my personal situation as a caregiver. | 80% | … is familiar with my personal situation as a caregiver. | 71% |
… feels responsibility for the issues facing people caring for family members and provides advice and assistance. | 85% | … feels responsibility for the issues facing people caring for family members and provides advice and assistance. | 82% |
… does not wait for me to raise issues with the GP but proactively addresses issues. | 68%** | … does not wait for me to raise issues but proactively addresses them. | 18%** |
… provides emotional support such as encouragement during care. | 57%* | … provides emotional support such as by giving encouragement during care. | 23%* |
… makes decisions with me on caring for the person in my care. | 74%* | … makes decisions with me on caring for the person requiring care. | 48%* |
… sees not only the needs of the person in my care but also my opinions, needs and stresses. | 76% | … sees not only the needs of the person in my care but also my opinions, needs and stresses. | 60% |
… includes the person in my care in decisions and responds to his or her requests. | 83% | … considers the person in my care in decisions and responds to his or her requests. | 82% |
… encourages me to raise my own health concerns. | 32% | … encourages me to address my own health concerns. | 23% |
… has enough time for me. | 85%** | … has enough time for me. | 29%** |
… performs home visits to relieve me and get to know the person in my care in our home environment. | 75%** | … performs home visits to relieve me and get to know the person in my care in our home environment. | 23%** |
… gives me time to consider important decisions on care. | 59% | … gives me time to consider important decisions on care. | 81% |
… tells me about local support and assistance services. | 85%* | … tells me about local support and assistance services. | 55%* |
… makes arrangements for support and assistance services for me. | 83%** | … makes arrangements for support and assistance services for me. | 6%** |
… advises me on legal aspects such as power of attorney, care assistance, and driving. | 80%** | … advises me on legal aspects such as power of attorney, care assistance, and driving. | 13%** |
… conducts regular follow-up observations. | 70%* | … conducts regular follow-up observations. | 41%* |
… makes diagnoses early. | 78%* | … makes diagnoses early. | 51%* |
… manages and provides medical treatment to my family member. | 52% | … manages and provides medical treatment to my family member. | 45% |
… arranges doctors specialised in the field for us. | 85% | … arranges doctors specialised in the field for us. | 95% |
… explains the situation to the person in my care in ways that he or she can understand, therefore supporting me. | 85% | … explains the situation to the person in my care in ways that he or she can understand, therefore supporting me. | 85% |
… is early to acknowledge me as the caregiver with the awareness that I am responsible for caring for my family member. | 85%** | … is early to acknowledge me as the caregiver with the awareness that I am responsible for my family member’s care from the beginning. | 42%** |
Recruitment and participants
Data analysis
The general practitioner I consult in care matters... (N = 438) | ||||
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… sees not only the needs of the person in my care but also my opinions, needs and stresses. | … tells me about local support and assistance services. | … is early to acknowledge me as the caregiver with the awareness that I am responsible for my family member’s care from the beginning. | ||
How would you rate the support that your GP has given you in caring for your family member? | Very good/ Mostly good | 69%** | 76%** | 59%** |
Mostly not so good/ Not good at all | 44%** | 21%** | 11%** |
Someone recently said: “My GP can usually help me out when I ask about care for my family member.” How far does this apply to your GP? (N = 438) | ||
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How would you rate the support that your GP has given you in caring for your family member? | Very good/ Mostly good | 95%** |
Mostly not so good/ Not good at all | 16%** |
Results
Sample
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Gender: 93% female, 7% male
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Mean age: 54 (median: 55)
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Academic qualification: 9% lower secondary, 25% upper secondary, 42% high school matriculation grade, 7% university graduation, 17% other academic qualification.
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Occupation: 9% in full-time employment, 51% in part-time employment, 15% retired, 17% not in employment, 8% other
Living conditions of family caregivers
Importance of the general practitioners and support needs
Satisfaction with support from general practitioners
Factors affecting satisfaction with support from general practitioners
Dependent variable: Satisfaction with support from general practitioners (“How would you rate the support that your GP has given you in caring for your family member?”) | ||||||||||
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Independent variable (possible influential factor or predictor) The general practitioner I consult in care matters... | Omnibus test (Step 1: Model) | Log-Likelihood | Cox & Snell R2 | Nagelkerke R2 | Hosmer-Lemeshow Chi2 | Coefficient of regression β | Exp (B) | Significance | 95% confidence interval Exp (B) | Standard error |
1) … is familiar with everyday life and challenges of caring for family members. | .000 | 403.368 | .286 | .400 | .000 | 2.889 | 17.972 | .000 | 10.709; 30.162 | .264 |
2) … is familiar with my personal situation as a caregiver. | .000 | 431.158 | .239 | .335 | .000 | 2.522 | 12.448 | .000 | 7.654; 20.246 | .248 |
3) … feels responsibility for the issues facing people caring for family members and provides advice and assistance. | .000 | 413.533 | .269 | .376 | .000 | 3.455 | 31.659 | .000 | 15.090; 66.422 | .378 |
4) … does not wait for me to raise issues but proactively addresses them. | .037 | 546.806 | .010 | .014 | .000 | .585 | 1.795 | .044 | 1.017; 3.169 | .290 |
5) … provides emotional support such as by giving encouragement during care. | .000 | 510.691 | .088 | .123 | .000 | 1.989 | 7.309 | .000 | 3.436; 15.548 | .385 |
6) … makes decisions with me on caring for the person in need of it. | .004 | 542.802 | .019 | .026 | .000 | .598 | 1.818 | .004 | 1.208; 2.736 | .209 |
7) … sees not only the needs of the person in my care, but also my opinions, needs and stresses. | .000 | 531.878 | .043 | .060 | .000 | .916 | 2.498 | .000 | 1.656; 3.769 | .210 |
8) … considers the person in my care in decisions and responds to his or her requests. | .000 | 433.072 | .236 | .330 | .000 | 3.072 | 21.579 | .000 | 11.093; 41.978 | .340 |
9) ... encourages me to raise my own health concerns. | .000 | 486.108 | .138 | .193 | .000 | 3.085 | 21.861 | .000 | 6.790; 70.391 | .597 |
10) … has enough time for me. | .058 | 547.502 | .008 | .012 | .000 | .442 | 1.555 | .059 | .983; 2.462 | .234 |
11) … conducts home visits to relieve me and to make an impression of the person in my care in our home environment. | .000 | 486.108 | .138 | .193 | .000 | 3.085 | 21.861 | .000 | 6.790; 70.391 | .597 |
12) … gives me time to consider important decisions on care. | .122 | 548.787 | .005 | .008 | .000 | .392 | 1.480 | .119 | .904; 2.422 | .251 |
13) … tells me about local support and assistance services. | .000 | 441.421 | .221 | .309 | .000 | 2.311 | 10.087 | .000 | 6.299; 16.153 | .240 |
14) … makes arrangements for support and assistance services for me. | .016 | 545.380 | .013 | .018 | .000 | 1.299 | 3.667 | .037 | 1.079; 12.463 | .624 |
15) … advises me on legal aspects such as power of attorney, care assistance, and driving. | .000 | 522.476 | .063 | .088 | .000 | 2.343 | 10.412 | .000 | 3.197; 33.906 | .602 |
16) … conducts regular follow-up observations. | .028 | 546.346 | .011 | .015 | .000 | .464 | 1.590 | .030 | 1.047; 2.416 | .213 |
17) … makes diagnoses early. | .079 | 548.086 | .007 | .010 | .000 | .360 | 1.433 | .080 | .958; 2.143 | .205 |
18) … supports and provides therapy for my family member. | .000 | 527.205 | .053 | .074 | .000 | 1.040 | 2.828 | .000 | 1.842; 4.342 | .219 |
19) … arranges doctors specialised in the field for us. | .000 | 517.243 | .074 | .104 | .000 | 2.845 | 17.208 | .000 | 5.039; 58.767 | .627 |
20) … explains the situation to the person in my care in ways that he or she can understand, therefore supporting me. | .000 | 467.789 | .173 | .242 | .000 | 2.694 | 14.793 | .000 | 7.570; 28.908 | .342 |
21) … is early to acknowledge me as the caregiver with the awareness that I am responsible for my family member’s care from the beginning. | .000 | 452.523 | .201 | .281 | .000 | 2.422 | 11.270 | .000 | 6.378; 19.916 | .290 |