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Rethinking how we understand individual healthcare needs for people living with long-term conditions: a qualitative study

Reeve, Joanne; Cooper, Lucy

Authors

Lucy Cooper



Abstract

It has been suggested that we need to ‘Think Differently’ about how we organise care for people with long‐term conditions. Current approaches prioritise reducing population disease burden, meaning health need is defined predominantly in terms of disease status, or even risk of disease. However, the result is care which overburdens some individuals. The World Health Organisation has described the need to view health as a ‘resource for living’ and not an end in itself. This study considers whether this view of health offers an alternative view of healthcare need in people living with long‐term conditions. We know that chronic disease can be disruptive for some people; but not all. Our research question asked: Why do people experience long‐term conditions differently, and what are the implications for understanding healthcare need? Our phenomenographic study involved qualitative interviews with 24 people living with at least one of the three conditions (diabetes, depression and chronic pain) and explored resources for and demands on daily living. Interviews all took place during 2012 and 2013. A narrative form analysis identified three patterns of illness experience (Gliding Swan, Stormy Seas and Stuck Adrift). Narrative content analysis revealed four factors explaining the variation: personalising care, existence of meaningful anchors, partnership and excess demands. We thus propose three new categories of healthcare need described by a consideration of health as a resource for living: Resilient, Vulnerable and Disconnected. We discuss how the emerging findings may offer scope to develop new needs assessment and patient‐reported outcome measure tools. And so, offer a different way of thinking about the organisation for care for people with long‐term conditions.

Citation

Reeve, J., & Cooper, L. (2016). Rethinking how we understand individual healthcare needs for people living with long-term conditions: a qualitative study. Health and Social Care in the Community, 24(1), 27-38. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12175

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 21, 2014
Online Publication Date Dec 3, 2014
Publication Date 2016-01
Deposit Date Apr 25, 2019
Journal Health and Social Care in the Community
Print ISSN 0966-0410
Electronic ISSN 1365-2524
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 24
Issue 1
Pages 27-38
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12175
Keywords Health as a resource for living; Healthcare need; Long-term conditions; Personalised care
Public URL https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/1647216
Publisher URL https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/hsc.12175