Care for chronically ill children and elderly in the People’s Republic of China

This paper examines home care for urban chronically ill elderly and children in the People’s Republic of China. Seventy-five families with a chronically ill child living at home and 75 families with a chronically ill elderly person living at home responded to in-depth interview questions. These data provide insights into many dimensions of this home care situation including the severity of the illness and problems experienced by family caregivers. Study results show the difficulties of home health-care and provide a basis for nursing’s role in China’s future home care.