Journal of Palliative Care & Medicine
Open Access

Abstract

The purpose is to characterize family resilience, in families with a member in chronic illness or disability. This focus is part of the study on “Family Resilience and communication between health professionals and families of people with chronic illness or disability”. To build this characterization, five categories were made, after consulting several authors: 1: Setting the process of clinical intervention, 2: Perspective health condition, 3: Patterns of family interaction, 4: Communicative processes in the family and 5: Family and social resources. A questionnaire was built; the items were consulted to 7 expert judges to validate content. Experts were asked to grade the clarity, relevance and significance of each item. The validity of content and theoretical foundation that supports the construction of the questionnaire was calculated. The questionnaire was applied to 199 people between patients and relatives. The questionnaire showed high reliability as factor analysis, and the items have showed internal consistency as Cronbach’s alpha. We conclude that a treatment which takes into account the participation of the family has the potential to positively influence the patient to other levels. It can help the family to suit the situation, provide members with knowledge of the process and course of the disorder provide guidelines for symptom management and care required, and open channels of communication within the family or between family and health professionals attending each case. Therefore, the next purpose is to determine the relation of the adjustment of the family system and the level of adherence to treatment.

Biography

E Martín Padilla is Psychologist and Masters in Clinical Psychology and Family of St. Thomas University in Bogota, Colombia. He is the Director of the Master in Health Psychology and Disability, and member of the research group called “Psychological Processes and social context” in the Universidad de la Sabana, in the line of health and life quality. He has published articles and book chapters on the subject of contexts of health and family coexistence.

Email: mario.martin1@unisabana.edu.co