"High-tech" home care for children with chronic health conditions: a pilot study

The purposes of this study were to pilot test the instrument and methods for a major study of caregivers of children who are technology dependent and to test constructs proposed for the major study in a discrete sample. The major study will be implemented in 13 cities in the United States. The pilot was conducted in three small- to moderate-size metropolitan areas in the Southeast and Midwest. Seventy-three primary caregivers provided data during a structured telephone interviews. The children represented four groups of children dependent on technology as defined by the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) (1987). The findings supported the methodology and the viability of the instrument. Analysis suggests that caring for a child who is technology dependent affects family functioning and increases family stress levels in some families. The financial burden is also significant. It is suggested that nurses can be a critical source of support and information to these families.