Key result
African American heart failure caregivers report substantial emotional strain, self-neglect, and unmet financial needs.
Why the study?
Assistance from informal caregivers is crucial for managing complex care of HF patients, but the lived experience of African American caregivers was not well described.
This qualitative study identifies key themes in the lived experience of African American caregivers of HF patients, highlighting areas for culturally competent support.
May guide culturally sensitive HF caregiver support; hypothesis-generating and should not yet change practice.
Assistance from informal caregivers such as family members, friends, or neighbors is crucial to adequately managing the complex care of heart failure (HF) patients. This study examined the lived experience of African American caregivers caring for African American patients with HF. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 10 participants who were formally interviewed. The interviews, analyzed using Colaizzi's steps, revealed six themes: layers of support, realization of self-neglect, experiencing the "blues," connecting with healthcare providers, unmet financial needs, and perception of nonadherence. The information regarding the experience of African American caregivers of HF patients obtained through this research will inform the delivery of culturally competent support to caregivers, thereby improving quality of life for both the HF patients and their caregivers.
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Heather Hamilton (2016) studied Heart failure (n=10). Caregiving for African American patients with heart failure was evaluated on Lived experience themes. Interviews with 10 African American caregivers of heart failure patients revealed six themes including layers of support, self-neglect, the blues, unmet financial needs, and perceived nonadherence.
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