Needs Assessment Evaluating Quality of Life Issues for Gastroparesis Patients and Caregivers

Needs Assessment Evaluating Quality of Life Issues for Gastroparesis Patients and Caregivers

The project will involve conducting a Needs Assessment for Gastroparesis patients and their caregivers with the goal of identifying quality of life issues associated with this disease. Identifying these issues will ameliorate management and support systems for gastroparesis currently existent in the community and, hopefully, provide information for the establishment of more resources to assist the patients and their families.

This project will involve: a) distributing questionnaires to up to 200 participants (100 patients and 100 caregivers) at the Shands Gastrointestinal clinic and b) focus groups including patients, medical provider, and the clinic case manager. The questionnaires will provide information on the relative effect of gastroparesis on the quality of life of the patients and their caregivers. Assessment of this needs assessment will then help identify areas of potential resource improvement and mobilization to provide support for the patients and their family members.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Gastroparesis patients at the GI clinic of Shands Hospital at the University of Florida
• Caregivers to Gastroparesis patients at the GI clinic of Shands Hospital at the University of Florida

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to fill out the questionnaires by any cause