Informal care and the self-management partnership: implications for Australian health policy and practice

Abstract

Objective. The Serious and Continuing Illness Policy and Practice Study (SCIPPS) aims to improve the care and support for patients with chronic illness and their family carers. Here we describe the carers' contribution to the selfmanagement partnership and discuss the policy and practice implications that are relevant to improving the support available for informal care in Australia.

Design. A secondary analysis of SCIPPS data. Fourteen carers of patients between 45 and 85 years with chronic heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes were conveniently sampled from western Sydney and the Australian Capital Territory. Semi-structured …