Proposal for a Framework to Enable Elicitation of Preferences for Clients in Need of Long-Term Care

Catharina M van Leersum; Ben van Steenkiste; Albine Moser; Judith R L M Wolf; Trudy van der Weijden

doi:10.2147/PPA.S257501

Proposal for a Framework to Enable Elicitation of Preferences for Clients in Need of Long-Term Care

Patient Prefer Adherence. 2020 Aug 25:14:1553-1566. doi: 10.2147/PPA.S257501. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Catharina M van Leersum¹, Ben van Steenkiste¹, Albine Moser^{1

2}, Judith R L M Wolf³, Trudy van der Weijden¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Family Medicine, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
² Research Center for Autonomy and Participation of Persons with a Chronic Illness, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Heerlen, the Netherlands.
³ Impuls-Netherlands Center for Social Care Research, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Abstract

Purpose: Collaborative deliberation comprises personal engagement, recognition of alternative actions, comparative learning, preference elicitation, and preference integration. Collaborative deliberation may be improved by assisting preference elicitation during shared decision-making. This study proposes a framework for preference elicitation to facilitate collaborative deliberation in long-term care consultations.

Methods: First, a literature overview was conducted comprising current models for the elicitation of preferences in health and social care settings. The models were reviewed and compared. Second, qualitative research was applied to explore those issues that matter most to clients in long-term care. Data were collected from clients in long-term care, comprising 16 interviews, 3 focus groups, 79 client records, and 200 online client reports. The qualitative analysis followed a deductive approach. The results of the literature overview and qualitative research were combined.

Results: Based on the literature overview, five overarching domains of preferences were described: "Health", "Daily life", "Family and friends", "Living conditions", and "Finances". The credibility of these domains was confirmed by qualitative data analysis. During interviews, clients addressed issues that matter in their lives, including a "click" with their care professional, safety, contact with loved ones, and assistance with daily structure and activities. These data were used to determine the content of the domains.

Conclusion: A framework for preference elicitation in long-term care is proposed. This framework could be useful for clients and professionals in preference elicitation during collaborative deliberation.

Keywords: collaborative deliberation; decision support; long-term care; patient preferences; preference elicitation.

Grants and funding

TvdW received a fund from ZonMw, The Hague, The Netherlands (516012502). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection, and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.