Family Participation in Posthospital Care

Abstract

This study examined the postdischarge needs of 169 adults hospitalized with cancer or end-stage renal disease and the contribution of their families to their care. The overwhelming majority of patients were found to need aftercare and received it from relatives. The author identified patterns in the size and composition of the family network providing care, the predominance of female over male caregivers and differences in their caretaking activities, and the use made of in-home agency services. Implications are drawn for health care professionals to deal with patients' changing and growing needs for aftercare, the persistence of sex-based divisions of labor within families, and the limited use made of agency services.