Purpose: To explore the experiences of family caregiver in health decision-making for patients with chronic diseases.
Study Design: Qualitative Descriptive Design.
Subjects and Methods: A descriptive qualitative approach was used. A purposive sample of fifteen family caregiver for patients with chronic diseases were interviewed in Amman, Jordan; fifteen caregivers; males (n= 2), females (n= 13). Average of age = 40 years old. Data were generated through phone messages voice records over a period of two months (March & April 2020) in Amman, Jordan. Data were analyzed using a five–step technique proposed by Giorgi (1985).
Results: The findings of the study revealed that three major themes related to family caregivers’ experiences in health decision-making for patients with chronic diseases: 1) The patient has the right to decide about his health, 2) Healthcare providers know better, and 3) Roles of family caregivers in the decision making process.
Conclusion: The vital role of the family members in taking decisions for patients with chronic diseases is well-recognized by healthcare providers. Continuous systematic assessment of family members’ preferences and needs is crucial to provide the needed support for their patients in decision-making.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.