Information Quality, Uncertainty, and Quality of Care in Long-Distance Caregiving

Abstract

Approximately 13% of Americans who provide care for an ailing family member do so from a distance, making long-distance caregiving a relevant health communication topic to study. A self-report online survey examined the quality of information provided by care recipient to distant caregiver, uncertainty about care recipient health, and perceived quality of care from the distant caregivers' perspective. Information quality, uncertainty, and perceived quality of care were significantly related as predicted. How these findings offer new insight into the complex nature of distant caregiving communication is discussed.

Keywords:

• Caregiving
• Information Quality
• Long-Distance Communication
• Quality of Care
• Uncertainty

Acknowledgments

An earlier version of this article was presented at the 2010 annual meeting of the National Communication Association, San Francisco, CA. The study was funded by a 2008–2009 Chapman University Chancellor's Research Fund Grant awarded to Lisa Sparks. We acknowledge the contributions of Nicole Andrews, Maggie Hui, Kathryn Rogers, Sherri Verdugo, and Sean Vreeburg to this project.

Notes

A substantial number of participants did not complete the demographic and relationship items, which were at the end of the survey.

A full list of data-collection sources is available from Jennifer L. Bevan.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jennifer L. Bevan

Jennifer L. Bevan (PhD, University of Georgia, 2003) is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies and the Health and Strategic Communication MS Program at Chapman University.

Ashley M. Jupin

Ashley M. Jupin (MS, Chapman University, 2010) graduated from the Health and Strategic Communication MS Program at Chapman University.

Lisa Sparks

Lisa Sparks (PhD, University of Oklahoma, 1998) is a professor and Distinguished Presidential Research Fellow in Health and Risk Communication in the Schmid College of Science.