Assessing the health outcomes of the family members of disabled individuals

Coombs, Alyssa (2016) Assessing the health outcomes of the family members of disabled individuals. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The health utilization and death rates were captured for the family members of disabled individuals over a fifteen-year period to determine if exposure to disability in the family manifests poor health outcomes. Data from the Newfoundland Adult Health Survey (1995) was linked to fifteen years, 1995- 2010, of provincial health administrative data including hospital data, physician claims, and death records from the provincial health care system. The health records and survey data were analyzed in relation to the disability exposure burden experienced when a family member is disabled. The level of disability exposure burden was quantified based on the addition of individual disability scores for each family member. Disability exposure burden was associated with increased number of hospital separations, total hospitalization days and the number of physician visits, both General Practitioner and Specialist (p<0.1) but there was no association between death (p>0.1) and disability exposure burden. Family members of disabled individuals experienced increased rates of hospital separations, hospitalization days, and physician visits suggesting that deleterious health outcomes may be introduced when individuals are exposed to disability in the family unit.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
URI: http://research.library.mun.ca/id/eprint/11690
Item ID: 11690
Additional Information: Includes bibliographical references (pages 118-128).
Keywords: Disability, Family, Health Outcomes, Health Utilization, Caregiver Burden, Caregiving, Mortality, Newfoundland
Department(s): Medicine, Faculty of > Community Health
Date: 2016
Date Type: Submission
Geographic Location: Newfoundland and Labrador
Library of Congress Subject Heading: People with disabilities--Home care--Newfoundland and Labrador; Caregivers--Medical care--Newfoundland and Labrador; Caregivers--Health and hygiene--Newfoundland and Labrador; Caregivers--Mortality--Newfoundland and Labrador
Medical Subject Heading: Disabled Persons--Newfoundland and Labrador; Home Nursing--Newfoundland and Labrador; Caregivers--Newfoundland and Labrador.

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