Health, economic, psychological and social impact of educating carers of patients with advanced pulmonary disease (APD)

Funded Activity Summary

Our study aims to understand the health, economic and social costs associated with caring for patients with advanced pulmonary disease (APD) and to determine health, economic and social impact of improving the skills of caregivers of patients with APD has on patients and their carers. Patients with APD are a large population at high risk of health resource use, unnecessary medication use and emergency admission to hospital or residential care facilities. Although previous research has identified difficulties experienced by caregivers of the elderly in general, very little research has been undertaken with carers of patients with APD. The study will compare the usual practice of educating patients with APD who commence home oxygen therapy (HOT), and their carers, against a more detailed and individually targeted education program that increases the skills of patients and carers. This study has the potential to reduce hospital-residential care readmission, reduce carer distress, improve patient outcomes, reduce adverse effects of oxygen therapy and medication use, and minimize inappropriate presentation to tertiary care emergency departments.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2007

End Date: 01-01-2009

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $605,452.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Respiratory Diseases

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Burden of disease | Caregiver burden | Caregiver health | Chronic respiratory disease | Health outcomes | Health service research | Randomized controlled trial | Respiratory diseases

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