Williams Allison, Botti Mari
School of Postgraduate Nursing, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
J Adv Nurs. 2002 Oct;40(2):131-40. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2002.02355.x.
Advances in medical science and improved lifestyles have reduced mortality rates in Australia and most western countries. This has resulted in an ageing population with a concomitant growth in the number of people who are living with chronic illnesses. Indeed a significant number of younger people experience more than one chronic illness. Large numbers of these may require repeated admissions to hospital for acute or episodic care that is superimposed upon the needs of their chronic conditions.
To explore the issues that circumscribe the complexities of caring for people with concurrent chronic illnesses, or comorbidities, in the acute care setting and postdischarge.
A literature review to examine the issues that impact upon the provision of comprehensive care to patients with comorbidities in the acute care setting and postdischarge.
Few studies have investigated this subject. From an Australian perspective, it is evident that the structure of the current health care environment has made it difficult to meet the needs of patients with comorbidities in the acute care setting and postdischarge. This is of major concern for nurses attempting to provide comprehensive care to an increasingly prevalent group of chronically ill people.
Further research is necessary to explore how episodic care is integrated into the on-going management of patients with comorbidities and how nurse clinicians can better use an episode of acute illness as an opportunity to review their overall management.
医学科学的进步和生活方式的改善降低了澳大利亚及大多数西方国家的死亡率。这导致了人口老龄化，同时慢性病患者数量也在增加。事实上，相当数量的年轻人患有不止一种慢性病。其中大量患者可能需要因急性病或间歇性疾病反复住院，这些疾病叠加在他们慢性病的需求之上。
探讨在急性护理环境及出院后，限制对同时患有多种慢性病（即共病）患者进行护理复杂性的问题。
进行文献综述，以研究在急性护理环境及出院后影响为共病患者提供全面护理的问题。
很少有研究调查过这个主题。从澳大利亚的角度来看，显然当前医疗保健环境的结构使得在急性护理环境及出院后难以满足共病患者的需求。这是试图为日益普遍的慢性病患者群体提供全面护理的护士们主要关注的问题。
有必要进行进一步研究，以探讨如何将间歇性护理纳入共病患者的持续管理中，以及护士临床医生如何更好地利用急性病发作的机会来审查他们的整体管理。
