Family decision-making during access to surgical care for children: A qualitative analysis and conceptual framework

In brief

This qualitative study explores how families navigate decision-making when seeking surgical care for children with appendicitis. Researchers developed a conceptual framework to better understand the factors influencing family choices during the surgical access process, with implications for improving patient-centered pediatric surgical care.

• - Family decision-making is a critical but understudied factor affecting timely access to pediatric surgical care. - Appendicitis cases reveal how parental choices influence care-seeking patterns and treatment delays in children. - A conceptual framework can help clinicians understand family decision processes during acute surgical conditions. - Qualitative analysis identifies barriers families face when navigating pediatric surgical emergencies. - Understanding family dynamics may improve communication strategies and reduce time to definitive surgical care.

Written by the GCMD Library team from the article.