Carers and Technology Research Project: Information needs and technology preferences
Project Status
Completed
Chief Investigator
A/Prof Ben Harris-Roxas
Project Officer
Jessica Harper
Team Members
Lisa Woodland (SESLHD), Gurdive Webster (SESLHD)
Project Rationale
Access to good information helps carers. Caring often starts suddenly and people need to quickly learn and adapt to being the person that is proving care for the care recipient. Throughout their caring journey people need information about services, resolving problems and getting personal support. This project was undertaken to inform the SESLD Carers Program's activities to support carers in South Eastern Sydney.
Project Aim/s
In collaboration with South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD), the South Eastern Research Collaboration Hub (SEaRCH) undertook qualitative research that focused on answering the following questions:
- What are the information needs of carers?
- Do different groups/types of carers have different information needs, and what are these?
- What barriers do carers face when trying to access information in NSW?
- What are existing or feasible uses of technology to meet carers’ information needs?
Project Design and Method
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with people who had recently come into a caring role (within 6 months-3 years). The content of these interviews was intended to inform the development of more appropriate information resources for carers in contact with the health system, and to enhance the methods of information provision.