Abstract
BackgroundThere seems to be a paucity of research on the initial subjective experiences of family caregivers of survivors of a traumatic brain injury (TBI).ObjectiveTo explore the challenges that family caregivers face during the initial stages of recovery of a relative who has sustained a TBI.MethodsThematic analysis was used to explore the findings from semi-structured interviews that were conducted with 12 female family caregivers of relatives who had sustained a TBI.ResultsFamily caregivers recalled their initial experiences of the shock at hearing the news about their relative’s TBI, negative experiences in hospital and frustrating interactions with healthcare professionals as particularly challenging.ConclusionThe findings of this study emphasise caregivers’ need for support, information and psycho-education, especially from healthcare professionals, from the very beginning stages of recovery from a TBI. Practical and physical needs with regard to admission to and care in the hospital were also highlighted. This research will hopefully contribute to creating awareness amongst healthcare professionals on how they can contribute to improvement of the services provided by the healthcare system based on the experiences of the caregivers who participated in this study.
Highlights
Introduction and backgroundSeveral studies have been conducted on family caregivers in the context of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) (Arango-Lasprilla et al 2010; Gan et al 2010; Livingston et al 2010; Phelan et al 2011; Vangel, Rapport & Hanks 2011)
Family caregivers recalled their initial experiences of the shock at hearing the news about their relative’s TBI, negative experiences in hospital and frustrating interactions with healthcare professionals as challenging
This research will hopefully contribute to creating awareness amongst healthcare professionals on how they can contribute to improvement of the services provided by the healthcare system based on the experiences of the caregivers who participated in this study
Summary
Introduction and backgroundSeveral studies have been conducted on family caregivers in the context of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) (Arango-Lasprilla et al 2010; Gan et al 2010; Livingston et al 2010; Phelan et al 2011; Vangel, Rapport & Hanks 2011). Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are regarded as a global public health problem, with research showing that TBIs affect an estimated 10 million people worldwide every year (Hyder et al 2007). In South Africa the National Health Laboratory Service (2014) reported that 89 000 new cases of TBIs are diagnosed per year. The high number of new cases of TBIs each year in South Africa and the problems within South Africa’s healthcare system, such as shortages of hospital beds, lack of healthcare staff in the public sector, low quality of care, lack of resources for treatment or medication and high cost of institutional care (Coetzee et al 2013; Department of Health 2003; George et al 2012), contribute to the need for relatives to take on the caregiving role. There seems to be a paucity of research on the initial subjective experiences of family caregivers of survivors of a traumatic brain injury (TBI)
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