Related Experiment Videos
Patient work in end-stage heart failure: a prospective longitudinal multiple case study.
D L Willems1, A Hak, F C Visser
1Department of General Practice, Academic Medical Centre/University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. d.l.willems@amc.uva.nl
Palliative Medicine
|February 18, 2006
Summary
Patients with end-stage heart failure engage in significant "work" to manage their illness and maintain daily life. Understanding these tasks, like managing illness and biographical work, can improve palliative care quality.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care
- Cardiology
- Sociology of Health
Background:
- The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes active living in palliative care.
- End-stage heart failure presents unique challenges for patients aiming to live actively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the nature of patient work involved in living with end-stage heart failure over a one-year period.
- To understand the tasks patients undertake to actively manage their condition and life.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, longitudinal, multiple case study design was employed.
- Qualitative interview techniques were used with 31 participants meeting specific heart failure criteria (NYHA III/IV, ejection fraction <25%, prior hospitalization).
Main Results:
- Patient work was categorized into four main types: managing illness, everyday work to keep life going, biographical work, and arrangement work.
- These categories, based on Glaser and Strauss's framework, describe the multifaceted efforts of patients with advanced heart failure.
Conclusions:
- Recognizing and addressing the 'work' patients perform is crucial for enhancing palliative care.
- Systematic attention to these four categories of patient work can improve the quality of care from the patient's perspective.