Expectations and Prospects of Young Adult Caregivers Regarding the Support of Professionals: A Qualitative Focus Group Study

Hinke M. van der Werf, Wolter Paans, Geertjan Emmens, Anneke L. Francke, Petrie F. Roodbol and Marie Louise A. Luttik
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Hinke M. van der Werf: Research Group Nursing Diagnostics, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, 9714 CA Groningen, The Netherlands
Wolter Paans: Research Group Nursing Diagnostics, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, 9714 CA Groningen, The Netherlands
Geertjan Emmens: Research Group Nursing Diagnostics, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, 9714 CA Groningen, The Netherlands
Anneke L. Francke: Nivel, Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, 3500 BN Utrecht, The Netherlands
Petrie F. Roodbol: Faculty of Medical Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
Marie Louise A. Luttik: Research Group Nursing Diagnostics, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, 9714 CA Groningen, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 12, 1-11

Abstract: There is a lack of service provision for young adult caregivers (18–25 years of age). This study aims to describe the expectations and prospects of young adult caregivers regarding support from health and education professionals. A qualitative focus group design was used. Twenty-five young Dutch adults (aged 18–25 years) who were growing up with a chronically ill family member participated in one of seven focus groups. Qualitative inductive analysis was used to identify codes and main themes. Two overarching themes with five sub-themes emerged from the focus group discussions. The overarching themes are: the ‘process of approaching young adults’ and the ‘types of support these young adults require’. The process of approaching young adults contains the sub-themes: ‘recognition, attention, and listening’, ‘open-minded attitude’, ‘reliability’, and ‘respecting autonomy’. The types of support this group requires contains the sub-themes: ‘information and emotional support’. Health and education professionals should first and foremost be aware and listen to young adult caregivers, pay attention to them, have an open-minded attitude, respect their autonomy, and have the knowledge to provide them with information and emotional support. Further research could yield comprehensive insights into how professionals can meet these requirements and whether these results apply to male young adult caregivers and young adult caregivers not enrolled in a healthcare-related study program.

Keywords: young adults; caregiving; adulthood; family care; support; professionals (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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