TY - JOUR
T1 - Integrated health Services for Children
T2 - a qualitative study of family perspectives
AU - Satherley, Rose Marie
AU - Lingam, Raghu
AU - Green, Judith
AU - Wolfe, Ingrid
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by Guy’s and St Thomas Charity grant number STR150901. The funding body had no input into the design of the study or in collection, analysis and interpretation of data nor in writing the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - Background: There is increasing evidence that integrated care improves child related quality of life and reduces health service use. However, there is limited evidence on family perspectives about the quality of integrated care for children’s services. This study aimed to understand children, young people, and caregivers’ perceptions of a new integrated care service, and to identify essential components of integrated care for children and young people with ongoing conditions. Methods: A qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with caregivers and children included families (N = 37) with children with one of four ongoing conditions (asthma, eczema, epilepsy, constipation) who had experienced a new integrated care service delivered in South London, UK. Results: Four key components of integrated services identified were: that the key health-worker understood the health needs of the family in context; that professionals involved children and caregivers in treatment; that holistic care that supported the family unit was provided; and that families experienced coordination across health, social, and education systems. Conclusions: Children and families identify care navigation and a holistic approach as key components that make high quality integrated care services. Service developments strengthening these aspects will align well with family perspectives on what works and what matters.
AB - Background: There is increasing evidence that integrated care improves child related quality of life and reduces health service use. However, there is limited evidence on family perspectives about the quality of integrated care for children’s services. This study aimed to understand children, young people, and caregivers’ perceptions of a new integrated care service, and to identify essential components of integrated care for children and young people with ongoing conditions. Methods: A qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with caregivers and children included families (N = 37) with children with one of four ongoing conditions (asthma, eczema, epilepsy, constipation) who had experienced a new integrated care service delivered in South London, UK. Results: Four key components of integrated services identified were: that the key health-worker understood the health needs of the family in context; that professionals involved children and caregivers in treatment; that holistic care that supported the family unit was provided; and that families experienced coordination across health, social, and education systems. Conclusions: Children and families identify care navigation and a holistic approach as key components that make high quality integrated care services. Service developments strengthening these aspects will align well with family perspectives on what works and what matters.
KW - Child health
KW - Health systems
KW - Integrated care
KW - Long-term condition
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85101409830&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12913-021-06141-9
DO - 10.1186/s12913-021-06141-9
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85101409830
SN - 1472-6963
VL - 21
JO - BMC Health Services Research
JF - BMC Health Services Research
IS - 1
M1 - 167
ER -
