Parent Empowerment in Pediatric Healthcare Settings: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies

The objective of this systematic review was to synthesize potential antecedents and consequences of parent empowerment in healthcare settings.Eligibility CriteriaThe inclusion criteria were (1) studies with results about parent empowerment in the context of children ’s healthcare or healthcare providers; and (2) qualitative studies, observational studies, and systematic reviews of such studies.Information SourcesWe searched the databases of PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar (2006 –2017) and reference lists.Included StudiesForty-four articles met the inclusion criteria.Synthesis of ResultsWe identified six themes within consequences of empowerment: increased parent involvement in daily care, improved symptom management, enhanced informational needs and tools, increased involvement in care decisions, increased advocacy for child, and engagement in empowering others. Six themes summarizing antecedents of empowerment also emerged: parent –provider relationships, processes of care, experiences with medical care, experiences with community services, receiving informational/emotional support, and building personal capacity and narrative. We synthesized these findings into a conceptual model to guide future intervention development an d evaluation.Strengths and Limitations of EvidenceNon-English articles were excluded.InterpretationParent empowerment may enhance parent involvement in daily care and care decisions, improve child symptoms, enhance informational needs and...
Source: The Patient - Patient-Centered Outcomes Research - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research