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Table 2 Characteristics of the qualitative studies selected for analysis

From: Older persons’ experiences of adapting to daily life at home after hospital discharge: a qualitative metasummary

Author, year, country

Country

Data collection/methodology

Sample

Setting

Cause of admission (n)

Andreasen, J, et al. (2015)

[30]

Denmark

Semi-structured interviews/interpretive description

7 Women

7 Men

Age range: 69–93

Mean age: 80.6 years

At home approx. 1 week after discharge from hospital

4 Pneumonia

1 Emboli

1 Amputee

1 Fall

1 Brain abscess

1 Weight loss

1 Hypoglycaemia

1 Renal failure

1 Pancreatitis

1 Type 2 diabetes

1 Dizziness

Bagge et al. (2014)

[41]

New Zealand

Semi-structured interviews/thematic analysis

21 Women

19 Men

Age range: 75–89

Mean age: not stated

At home 1–2 weeks after discharge from hospital

Not reported

Dilworth et al.

(2012)

[40]

Australia

Semi-structured interview/thematic analysis

1 Woman

2 MenAge range: not stated

Mean age: not stated

In hospital after being readmitted to hospital following recent discharge (within 28 days) to their homes

1 Renal failure/Fall

1 Cellulitis/Pulmonary emboli

1 Dizziness

Dossa et al. (2012)

[13]

United States

Semi-structured interviews/thematic coding technique informed by grounded theory methodology

18 Men

Age range:78–88

Mean age: not stated

At home 2 weeks, 1 month and 2 months after discharge from hospital

The discharge diagnoses included total hip or total knee replacements, laminectomy, diabetes, arthritis, coronary artery disease, hypertension and alcohol abuse

Jones, GB (2012)

[38]

United States

Semi-structured interviews/phenomenological hermeneutical

interpretation method

16 Women

4 Men

Age range: 65–89

Mean age: 75 years

At follow-up visit in two cardiology/cardiovascular clinics within 4 weeks of discharge from hospital

The majority of participants had a cardiovascular medical diagnosis (n = 12, 60%) or experienced cardiovascular surgical procedures (n = 8, 40%)

Karlsson et al. (2016)

[43]

Sweden

Qualitative interview/content analysis

7 Women

8 Men

Age range: 65–86

Mean age: 71 years

At home within 2 months after discharge from hospital

7 Surgery of aortic aneurysm

1 Epiglottitis

1 Pneumonia, sepsis

1 Pneumonia

1 Pulmonary edema

1 Pneumonia, sepsis, kidney failure

1 Myasthenia gravis, cardiac arrest

1 Unknown

1 Allergic shock

Knight et al. (2011)

[14]

United Kingdom

Semi-structured interviews/thematic analysis

4 Women

3 Men

Age range: 75–91

Mean age: 82.6 years

At home 6 weeks to 3 months after discharge from hospital

Not reported

McKeown et al. (2007)

[5]

Ireland

Qualitative interviews/

phenomenological approach

5 Women

6 Men

Age range:

71–92

Mean age: 81 years

At home 2 weeks after discharge from hospital

Not reported

Neitherman et al. (2015)

[15]

Canada

Semi-structured interviews/thematic analysis

7 Women

10 Men

Age range: 70–89

Mean age: 79 years

At home 2–5 weeks after discharge

from hospital

The most common diagnoses for hospitalisation were cardiovascular conditions (congestive heart failure, stroke) and respiratory problems (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia). Other patients had a variety of health problems, including diabetes, kidney disease, gastro-intestinal and neurological problems and cancer

Perry et al. (2011)

[11]

New Zealand

Semi-structured interviews/interpretative phenomenological analysis

8 Women

3 Men

Age range: 66–88

Mean age 76.3 years

At home approx. 6 weeks after discharge from hospital

Orthopaedic lower limb surgery

Reay et al. (2015)

[39]

Australia

Semi-structured interviews

/Giorgi’s phenomenological method

6 Women

4 Men

Age range: not stated

Mean age: not stated

At home approx. 3 weeks after discharge

Total hip replacement surgery

Rydeman et al. (2008)

[42]

Sweden

Semi-structured interviews/grounded theory

7 Women

10 Men

Age range: 65–91

Mean age: 79 years

At home 4–8 weeks after discharge from hospital

4 Infection

4 Heart problems

1 Rheumatic disease

3 Intestinal problems

1 Dehydration

1 Fracture

1 Pneumonia stroke

1 Intoxication

Slatyer et al. (2013)

[37]

Australia

Semi-structured interviews/thematic content analysis

6 Women

6 Men

Age range: 72–91

Mean age: 81.6 years

At home within 28 days of discharge (after readmission to hospital)

Breathing, gastric, renal or cardiovascular problems; falls; or chest pain7