How Values Shape Collaboration Between Patients with Multiple Chronic Conditions and Spousal Caregivers

Individuals with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) collaborate with spousal caregivers daily to pursue what is most important to their health and well-being. Previous research in human-computer interaction has supported individuals with chronic conditions or their caregivers, but little has supported both as a unit. We conducted a field study with 12 patient-caregiver dyads, all married and living together, to identify partners' values and how they shape collaborative management of MCC. Partners' coinciding values motivated them to empathize with and support each other in the face of challenges related to health and well-being. When their values were asymmetric, they perceived tensions between individual autonomy and their ability to coordinate with their partner. These findings illustrate the rich design context of managing MCC in spousal relationships. Systems to support partners in this context could help them overcome asymmetric values, but they should balance this with support for individual autonomy.