2023 Volume 28 Issue 1 Pages 89-99
This study aimed to reveal the conceptual structure of discomfort of elderly people receiving long-term medical care by conducting a literature review based on Walker and Avant’s concept analysis. For the analysis, 32 articles were selected from ICHUSHI Web, PubMed, CINAHL, etc. The results revealed six defining attributes “mixture of physical discomfort and distress” “diversity of experiences” “constant continuation” “underestimation by healthcare providers” “unlikelihood of manifestation” “threat to existence” and three antecedents “mental and physical functional impairment associated with disease progression and aging” “inappropriate responses from healthcare providers” “negative perception of elderly people”. A comparison with previous studies suggested that the discomfort of elderly people receiving long-term medical care is unlikely to be manifested; thus, it characteristically tends to be underestimated by healthcare providers and is affected by inappropriate healthcare response. The results of this study are useful for the development of care guidelines for relieving the discomfort of elderly people receiving long-term medical care. The findings highlight the need for nursing practices geared toward detecting signs of discomfort undisclosed by elderly people and to protecting their dignity, to prevent and relieve the discomfort of elderly people receiving long-term medical care.
