Key Factors of Family Adaptation to the Illness of Family Members: An Integrative Review

Abstract

This is an integrative review aimed to synthesize and explore the factors related to the coping of family caregivers during the illnesses of family members in the Thai context. The researcher performed an integrative review. The sources of the articles reviewed included MEDLINE, Science Direct, CINAHL, and Clinicalkey

The references cited for the articles selected were checked manually.The following keywords were used singularly, and in various combinations in both quantitative and qualitative studies: family function, family members’ illness, related factors, and family coping/adaptation. The criteria for the search included full-text articles published within ten years (2007-2018), and in the English language. The researcher’s search for the articles with keywords yielded 193 articles, eight of which met the inclusion criteria. According to the findings of the literature review, the factors for family adaptation during the illness of family members include several factors such as social support, family relationships, religious /spirituality, family hardiness, family striving, psychological distress/coping, health status, family functioning, and patient’s life skills. The findings of the study can motivate health care providers to try to manage the program to support family caregivers during the illness of family members. Further studies should address how to support families in adaptation to any crisis.