Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30140443›Full record

ArticlePilot and feasibility studies2018

Adaptation of the Ambulatory and Home Care Record for collecting palliative care service utilisation data from family carers in the UK: a pilot study.

Laura M Holdsworth, Heather Gage, Peter Williams, Claire Butler

Abstract read
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Article in Pilot and feasibility studies, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Laura M Holdsworth1Primary Care and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1265 Welch Road, MSOB, Stanford, CA 94305 USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0611-2700
Heather Gage2Surrey Health Economics Centre, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH UK.
Peter Williams3Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH UK.
Claire Butler4Centre for Health Services Studies, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 2NF UK.

Funding

Department of Health PB-PG-0808-16126
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMeasuring service use and costs is an important aspect of service delivery evaluation. In end-of-life care, there is heavy reliance on care by family/friends (informal carers) and this should be reflected in the total cost of care alongside formal services. The Ambulatory and Home Care Record, developed in Canada, is both comprehensive in coverage and validated for collecting data on formal and informal caring. This study aimed to adapt and pilot the Ambulatory and Home Care Record questionnaire for use in the UK within a study evaluating a new palliative care service. The objectives were to test if family carers could be recruited and assess acceptability and usability of data gathered.

methodsSingle cohort pilot study using a structured telephone questionnaire carried out every other week. Family carers of patients newly added to the palliative care register or referred to hospice services in the South East of England were invited to participate by mail. Volunteers remained in the study for a maximum of six interviews or until the patient died.

resultsIn total, 194 carers were invited by mail to participate in the study, of which 23 (11.8%) completed at least one interview and 16 (8.2%) completed all possible interviews. Recruitment to the study was lower than anticipated, but most participants seemed to find the interviews acceptable. The modified questionnaire produced usable and relevant data for an economic evaluation of formal and informal caring costs.

conclusionsModifications are needed to the process of recruitment as a postal recruitment strategy did not have a high response rate. The Ambulatory and Home Care Record has proved a viable tool for use in the UK setting, with a few minor modifications, and will be used in a larger study comparing hospice models.

Indexed as

Informal carePalliative carePilot studyQuestionnaireService utilisationTelephone interview

Identifiers

PMID30140443
PMCPMC6098633

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