Psychosocial influences on total pain management by informal hospice caregivers

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Individuals receiving home-based hospice services often rely upon family members and friends to serve as informal caregivers responsible for managing emotional, psychological, spiritual, and physical pain. The purpose of this in-depth, grounded theory study was to generate a model describing how psychosocial factors influence informal hospice caregivers' management of pain. Findings revealed that caregivers' pain management strategies are influenced by the history of the caregiver-patient relationship, caregivers' occupational and personal health histories, previous caregiving experiences, caregivers' individual personalities, support from others, and competing demands. Findings support the inclusion of informal caregivers in thorough psychosocial assessments conducted by hospice social workers in an effort to maximize the potential for effective pain and symptom management.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Social work (MU)

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Missouri--Columbia

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Washington, Karla Thomasson

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Parker-Oliver, Debra, 1960-

Statement dc:rights

• Access to files is limited to the University of Missouri--Columbia with SSO login.

Language dc:language.iso

eng, English

DOI

https://doi.org/10.32469/10355/6764

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:mospace.umsystem.edu:10355/6764