Examining the Usefulness of a Family Empowerment Program Guided by the Illness Beliefs Model for Families Caring for a Child With Thalassemia

Abstract

The purpose of this pilot study was to design, implement, and evaluate a Family Empowerment Program (FEP), guided by the Illness Beliefs Model. Participants included 25 Thai family members who were the primary caregivers of a child with thalassemia. In Phase I, data were collected from participants using individual in-depth interviews and focus groups before involvement in the FEP. In Phase II, 12 hr of FEP sessions were offered to groups of participants. Content analysis of the audiotaped FEP sessions is reported in this article. Family caregivers reported that the FEP helped them share beliefs and experiences related to caring for their child with thalassemia, make decisions related to families' problems/needs and beliefs, provide each other mutual social support, and develop increased ability to manage care for their chronically ill child through sharing information and learning from other family caregivers about family functioning, family management, and family relationships. Future research is needed to examine the FEP intervention under more controlled conditions with measures that include family functioning and child health outcomes.

Effectiveness of therapeutic conversation intervention among caregivers of people with eating disorders: quasi‐experimental design

“…, Wacharasin et al . , Wright ) and impact family members’ health in general (Kazak et al . , Wright & Bell , Wacharasin et al .…”

“…, Wright & Bell , Wacharasin et al . , Wright ). The items used from the Illness Beliefs Model concern are emotional dynamics/ties and beliefs, illness experience, family strength, relationship, healing, cause, control, effect, suffering and support .…”

Tomando decisões na atenção à saúde de crianças/adolescentes com condições crônicas complexas: uma revisão da literatura

“…With regard to the large number of studies that consider DM a component of the Family-Centered Care philosophy (FCC) 12,27,28,[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56] , we problematize which borders, between constructing alliances for the care that promote supports, health, exchanges of virtuous care goods 17 , between kin and professionals, valuing the logic of care 16 and the dangerous tendency to hold the family accountable -albeit unintentionally -for care, for example by increasing gender inequities and therapeutic "pilgrimages" 19 .…”

“…Other aspects that emerge are: parent empowerment 31,50,55 ; DM over children and adolescents whether or not they participate in clinical trials 54,56 ; evaluation of DM as an indicator of the quality of health services from the perspective of parents 53 . In FCC, communication processeswhich as an ideal type should enable an action constituted both by transmission of information from the health professional, and by their hearing out the person with chronic illness, valuing their culture, experience and social reality -are one of the key principles 25 .…”

“…From the analysis of thematic content, we identified four main themes related to DM: DM as a process 12,[26][27][28]30,[32][33][34][35][36][37][38][40][41][42][43][44] ; DM as an aspect within the health planning nent of FCC 12,27,28,[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56] ;DM as a result from other sharings 27,28,[40][41][42]56,57 .…”