About this Research Topic
Having a chronic illness and disability (CID) is challenging for the person who experiences it. Often, families continue to serve as a primary resource for support in different capacities. These families who take on the caregiving role often may or may not have the knowledge, resources, and skill sets to provide the types of care for their family members with a CID. By the same token, other demographic factors (e.g., genetics, age, gender, caregiving role), psychological factors (e.g., coping, resilience), environmental, societal, and cultural determinants can influence the caregiving process. Not only do these factors affect caregivers' outcomes (e.g., health, mental health, social participation and quality of life) but also those for the person with CIDs. Understanding how these factors play out in the mechanism and the process of caregiving will allow for using effective strategies to address these factors to improve these outcomes for the people with CIDs and their caregivers.
We aim to understand factors and mechanisms of family caregivers impact and their relationship to outcomes of individuals with chronic illnesses and disabilities (CIDs). Family caregivers are inclusive all family caregiving roles, including but not limited to biological parents/stepparents, siblings/stepsiblings, grandparents/step-grandparents, as well as extended families and guardians. This includes how the different roles played by the family caregivers and other environmental factors which influence the rehabilitation outcomes of the individuals with CIDs. The outcomes cover the individuals with CIDs at the multitude of life domains including health, mental health, quality of life, school, work, home, community in different activity and participation. We also aim to explore the innovations and advancements in services/technology in enhancing the roles of family caregivers and their impacts on these outcomes.
Original/empirical research, discussion or perspective papers, and reviews on similar themes as the following are welcome:
- Quality of life and other pertinent outcomes in family caregivers and who they care with CIDs
- Disability-related factors that affect their roles and responsibilities in caregiving
- Caregiver factors (e.g., coping, personality, demographics) that impact and interplay with their roles and responsibilities for their family members
- Financial impacts of family caregivers in lower-middle income countries
- Cultural impacts on the caregivers’ variables such as roles and responsibilities
- Family caregivers’ synergy with the delivery and effectiveness of community-based services
- The roles and impact of caregivers who provide long term care for individuals with CIDs across the lifespan, including infants, children, adolescents, emerging young adults, young adults, aging adults, spouse, parents
- Environmental factors influencing the roles and impact of family caregivers on individuals with a CID
- Technology augmenting roles and impact of caregivers
We aim to understand factors and mechanisms of family caregivers impact and their relationship to outcomes of individuals with chronic illnesses and disabilities (CIDs). Family caregivers are inclusive all family caregiving roles, including but not limited to biological parents/stepparents, siblings/stepsiblings, grandparents/step-grandparents, as well as extended families and guardians. This includes how the different roles played by the family caregivers and other environmental factors which influence the rehabilitation outcomes of the individuals with CIDs. The outcomes cover the individuals with CIDs at the multitude of life domains including health, mental health, quality of life, school, work, home, community in different activity and participation. We also aim to explore the innovations and advancements in services/technology in enhancing the roles of family caregivers and their impacts on these outcomes.
Original/empirical research, discussion or perspective papers, and reviews on similar themes as the following are welcome:
- Quality of life and other pertinent outcomes in family caregivers and who they care with CIDs
- Disability-related factors that affect their roles and responsibilities in caregiving
- Caregiver factors (e.g., coping, personality, demographics) that impact and interplay with their roles and responsibilities for their family members
- Financial impacts of family caregivers in lower-middle income countries
- Cultural impacts on the caregivers’ variables such as roles and responsibilities
- Family caregivers’ synergy with the delivery and effectiveness of community-based services
- The roles and impact of caregivers who provide long term care for individuals with CIDs across the lifespan, including infants, children, adolescents, emerging young adults, young adults, aging adults, spouse, parents
- Environmental factors influencing the roles and impact of family caregivers on individuals with a CID
- Technology augmenting roles and impact of caregivers
Keywords: Mechanisms of Changes, Outcomes, Family Caregivers, Chronic Illness and Disabilities, Across the Lifespan
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