TY - JOUR
T1 - Family caregiver satisfaction with inpatient rehabilitation care
AU - Hanson, Kristine T.
AU - Carlson, Kathleen F.
AU - Friedemann-Sanchez, Greta
AU - Meis, Laura A.
AU - Van Houtven, Courtney H.
AU - Jensen, Agnes C.
AU - Phelan, Sean M.
AU - Griffin, Joan M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.
PY - 2019/3
Y1 - 2019/3
N2 - Introduction Informal family caregivers play an increasingly important role in healthcare. Despite their role in ongoing management and coordination of care, caregiver satisfaction with the healthcare services care recipients receive has been understudied. We sought to assess what influences caregiver satisfaction with inpatient care provided to their care recipient among caregivers of veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and polytrauma. Methods Data from the Family and Caregiver Experience Survey, a national survey of caregivers of veterans with TBI and polytrauma, was used to explore factors associated with caregiver satisfaction with the care his/her care recipient received while an inpatient at a US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center. Caregiver and care recipient demographic and injury factors and potential addressable factors including social support, caregiver training received, and caregiver perceptions of being valued by the VA were evaluated for their associations with caregivers’ satisfaction with their care recipients’ healthcare. Results The majority of the 524 caregivers reported being mostly or very satisfied with their care recipient’s inpatient care (75%, n = 393). Higher satisfaction with inpatient care was significantly associated with greater caregiver social support, receipt of training from the VA, and perceptions of being valued by the VA, both on univariate analysis and after controlling for care recipient TBI severity and caregiver’s relationship to the care recipient. Conclusions Results suggest that supporting a strong social network for caregivers, providing caregiver training, and employing practices that communicate that family caregiving is valued by providers and healthcare organizations are promising avenues for improving caregiver satisfaction.
AB - Introduction Informal family caregivers play an increasingly important role in healthcare. Despite their role in ongoing management and coordination of care, caregiver satisfaction with the healthcare services care recipients receive has been understudied. We sought to assess what influences caregiver satisfaction with inpatient care provided to their care recipient among caregivers of veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and polytrauma. Methods Data from the Family and Caregiver Experience Survey, a national survey of caregivers of veterans with TBI and polytrauma, was used to explore factors associated with caregiver satisfaction with the care his/her care recipient received while an inpatient at a US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center. Caregiver and care recipient demographic and injury factors and potential addressable factors including social support, caregiver training received, and caregiver perceptions of being valued by the VA were evaluated for their associations with caregivers’ satisfaction with their care recipients’ healthcare. Results The majority of the 524 caregivers reported being mostly or very satisfied with their care recipient’s inpatient care (75%, n = 393). Higher satisfaction with inpatient care was significantly associated with greater caregiver social support, receipt of training from the VA, and perceptions of being valued by the VA, both on univariate analysis and after controlling for care recipient TBI severity and caregiver’s relationship to the care recipient. Conclusions Results suggest that supporting a strong social network for caregivers, providing caregiver training, and employing practices that communicate that family caregiving is valued by providers and healthcare organizations are promising avenues for improving caregiver satisfaction.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85062978840&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85062978840&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0213767
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0213767
M3 - Article
C2 - 30875411
AN - SCOPUS:85062978840
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 14
JO - PloS one
JF - PloS one
IS - 3
M1 - e0213767
ER -