Factors Influencing Long-term Home Care for Patients with Tracheostomy from the Perspectives of their Family Members

Background: Family caregivers are the principal caregivers of patients with tracheostomy and can reduce the risk of re-hospitalization through giving quality care to their patients. Caregiving to patients with tracheostomy is a complex process influenced by many different factors. However, there are inadequate data about these factors, and hence, this study aimed at exploring the factors influencing long-term home care for patients with tracheostomy from the perspectives of their family caregivers. Materials and Methods: We conducted this descriptive qualitative study in 2023-2024. Participants were nine family caregivers, one patient with a tracheostomy history of three years, a home care nurse, and an anesthesiologist purposefully selected from Mazandaran, Iran. Data were collected through 12 in-depth semi-structured interviews and were analyzed through conventional content analysis. The criteria proposed by Lincoln and Guba were used to ensure trustworthiness. Results: The three main categories of the factors influencing long-term home care for patients with tracheostomy were healthcare system dysfunction, challenges of tracheostomy care, and effective management of tracheostomy care. These three categories had 13 subcategories. Conclusions: Careful attention to the special needs of patients with tracheostomy, close collaboration among healthcare professionals and family caregivers, and development of a strong support network are essential to reduce the challenges and complications of home-based caregiving to patients with tracheostomy.