Families, systems & health : the journal of collaborative family healthcare
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Editorial Historical Article
CFHA's past, present, and future: building the plane while flying.
The Collaborative Family Healthcare Association (CFHA) began as a fledgling organization that promoted family-centered collaborative and integrated care, even when out of step with an established health care system that was characterized by fragmentation and hierarchy. Over the past two decades, however, the organization of "traditional" health care has unraveled and is ripe for change. We are in the midst of a noticeable expansion in interest and engagement in integration and collaboration as core components of a transformed health care delivery system. ⋯ Second, foster innovation. Third, become experts in change management-within ourselves and the systems in which we work. Moving forward, the next decade will be a critical time for CFHA and those of us who recognize integration of health care as an essential strategy to improve the health and quality of life within our communities.
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To assess the impact of chronic pain on the family environment from the patient's, relative's and caregiver's perspective, we undertook cross-sectional study on a representative sample of Spanish adults who suffered pain at least 4 days a week for ≥3 months and on relatives and caregivers of patients that fulfilled these criteria. The characteristics of pain and the perception of its impact on the family environment were assessed, using logistic regression models to reveal the variables associated with the impact of pain on the family. From a total of 1,957 subjects, 325 experienced chronic pain and 34.6% of them perceived that their pain affected their family environment. ⋯ Of the 36 caregivers, mainly women over 50 years of age, 66.7% indicated that pain affected the family, although 72.8% were satisfied with the help they provided. Chronic pain has a very strong impact on the family, although this is perceived distinctly by patients, relatives, and caregivers. Recognizing that factors related to pain affect the family's well-being, and adopting a global approach to pain that takes into consideration the family's experiences, should improve the therapeutic response, and enhance the patient's and relative's quality of life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).