Maja Kuharic, MPharm, MSc, PhD
Care Recipient Self-Perceived Burden: How Feeling Like a Burden Affects Health Care Decisions
Summary
Over 1 in 5 Americans provide unpaid care to a loved one. Many patients who rely on this support feel guilty or worry they are a burden — a feeling known as Care Recipient Self-Perceived Burden (CR-SPB). This feeling can affect how patients make treatment decisions and impact the well-being of both the patient and the caregiver. However, little is known about how CR-SPB influences health care decisions. This project aims to better understand these feelings and their impact on care choices and quality of life. By combining interviews, surveys, and input from patients, caregivers, and health care professionals, the study will help identify ways to improve how we measure value in health care and ensure that patient experiences are better reflected in treatment planning.
I'm incredibly grateful for this PhRMA Foundation Faculty Starter Grant. As I begin my independent research career, it enables me to advance patient-centered value assessment, helping ensure healthcare decisions reflect what truly matters to patient.