The demographics of participants were
presented in Table 1. The sample consisted of two groups.
Group one comprised community nurses and included 18
PHNs and 11 HHNs. To enhance the transfer value of the
sample, PHNs were drawn from three different administrative
areas: two principal cities (Taipei and Kaohsiung) and
areas covering smaller towns/cities spread across Taiwan.
HHN participants were sought from Northern, Central
and Southern Taiwan. The HHNs in the southern area
were not willing to participate fully in the study as they felt
their working regarding the home care were the same with
Northern and Central Taiwan; however, there were still
some data obtained from some of southern area by phone.
Table 1
Demographics of participants
Clients
(n)
Carers
(n)
PHNs
(n)
HHNs
(n)
Age (years)
30 3 0 2 2
31–40 6 0 5 7
41–50 6 6 11 2
51–60 1 2 0 0
61 0 8 0 0
Education
Uneducated 0 1 0 0
Six-year primary school 4 7 0 0
Three-year junior high school 6 3 0 0
Three-year senior high school 0 5 2 2
Five-year junior college, diploma 5 0 14 8
University 0 0 2 1
Master 1 0 0 0
Marital status
Single 7 0 2 2
Married 6 11 16 9
Divorced or separated 2 1 0 0
Widower or widow 1 4 0 0
Area
Rural 7 7 7 4
City 9 9 11 7
Occupation
Unemployed 14 8
Employed 2 8
Illness duration (years)
Range 4–38
10 5
11–20 4
21–30 5
31 2
Carers relationship to client
Mother 8
Father 2
Couple 6
Years of caring
Range 4–31
10 8
11–20 3
21–30 4
31 1
Clients = 16; Carers = 16; PHNs = 18; HHNs = 11.
PHN, public health nurse; HHN, home health nurse.
J-F. Cheng et al.
320 © 2011 Blackwell Publishing
This was considered important, as there is wide variation in
the services offered. Participants in group two were 16
clients (CLs) with schizophrenia and 16 carers (CRs) who
cared for them. These CLs/CRs were recruited from central
Taiwan and were contacted by their PHNs/HHNs in the
first instance. After obtaining their approval, the researchers
contacted the CLs/CRs directly and arranged face-toface
interviews. All participants, the nurses and CLs/CRs,
gave their informed consent prior to the conduction of the
study and were informed that they could choose to withdraw
from the study at any time. Confidentiality and anonymity
were guaranteed. The main areas of discussion with
the professionals were staff experience, services offered,
effectiveness of treatment, and expectations of and difficulties
with home-care services, while those with the CLs/CRs
were coping behaviour, the needs of people diagnosed with
mental illness, and past experiences with and expectations
of home-care services.