Report on the Needs Assessment

7.2 Caregivers' Responses (Family Members) (N= 10)

Code for each unit
D: Caregivers of dialysis patients
O: Caregivers of oncology hematology patients
P: Caregivers of patients using pre-operative centre

Part 1. Health education needs and current sources of information

Question 1.1


TYPES OF INFORMATION NEEDED Dialysis Oncology Pre-Op TOTAL
Medical information 1 4 4 9 (90%)
Daily living (e.g., diet, exercise, etc.) 1 2 5 8 (80%)
Information on medication/tests 1 2 4 7 (70%)
How you feel 1 2 4 7 (70%)
Health sites, community   2 4 6 (60%)
Impact on family life 1 2 2 5 (50%)
Getting around hospital   1   1 (10%)

Other needs and comments:

  1. Need to know more about how and when to take medication; we learned through trial and error not to take medication before dialysis.
  2. Need more information about how treatment is working.
  3. Wants to know how the different specialists interact, how they share information about the patient and when they will meet the patient.

Regarding navigation and forms to fill out, answers to questions 1.3 and 1.4 confirmed that these needs were less important for this group. All ten caregivers said the signs were clear and three caregivers needed help with forms.


Question 1.2

  1. Regarding written information
    8 (80%) found it useful. (1 D; 2O; 5P); 2 (20%) did not read it. (2D)

    Comments:

    1. very useful, very complete
    2. useful if patient has fever, useful for side-effects, did not have to call centre
    3. translates many points to his father in Italian, repeats a second time the most important points;
    4. would be good to have documents in Italian; his father would be able to read and understand them.
  2. Regarding oral communication
    8 (80%) said it was good. (1D 2O 5P )

    Comments:

    Many caregivers commented on the good relationship with nurses.

    Advice:

    1. Give information a little differently, so that it is not so much a shock.
    2. Doctors: take more time to explain and talk to patients.
    3. Use simple words, give examples with drawings.
  3. Regarding other sources of information

      YES NO Comments
    Videos D--1
    P--3    		 O--6 Video was very good, informative for the son but his father did not understand anything in English; it would need to be in Italian.
    Caregiver translated parts of it.
    Group discussion with other patients D--1 O--4
    P--5    		  
    Workshop in a CLSC   D--1
    O--4
    P--5    		  
    Information from TV or radio O--4 D--1
    P--1    		 1This question was added during the course of the Needs Assessment so it was not asked to all caregivers.
    Program on cancer useful
    Show on new drug, not for her husband's cancer.
    Information on health but false hopes, ex. Transplantation
    Medical shows on canal Vie.


Part 2. Health Education Centre

We asked the caregiver if he or she thought that the patient would want to participate in these activities/programs.

If offered at the Health Education Centre D O P Comments
More and better written information   1 2
  1. Would like written information in Italian, Bengali, Punjabi
  2. Suggestion: small booklets about different illnesses (main points); you can read while you are waiting, you can recognise symptoms yourself (prevention).
Health videos   2 4
  1. Would like videos on specific surgery, e.g., cataract eye surgery
  2. Centre could lend out health videos for older patients in Italian, e.g., video on bacteria, food spoilage, hygiene.
Small classes   2 1  
Patient group discussions 1 2 3
  1. One caregiver suggested beginning with an information session, and as patients become more at ease with one another and more trustful, to transform it into a patient discussion group with more participation.
  2. The language barrier would prevent some patients from participating.
Computer programs 1 2  
  1. Would want to use a computer program with the help of a volunteer

Caregivers told us that four patients would not want to use a Health Education Centre. One patient does not want to discuss her illness (cancer) with others nor hear about it from others. One caregiver said his father would not be interested because of his advanced age, his low level of education and because his concern about his illness blocks learning.

PREVIOUS CONTENTS HOME INDEX NEXT