ABSTRACT
Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare genetic disorder associated with low bone density and increased bone fragility. OI can lead to a variety of supportive and medical care needs; yet financial impacts for families and individuals living with OI remain understudied and largely invisible. Efforts by families to recover costs through GoFundMe®, the most important crowdfunding web platform worldwide, offer an unprecedented opportunity to gain insight into OI costs. The purpose of this study was to describe GoFundMe® profiles and determine what factors may contribute to funding goal achievement. A netnographic approach was used to investigate a publicly available dataset from GoFundMe®, with 1206 webpages extracted and 401 included for analysis. Most webpages originated from the United States and were created by family members. Nineteen cost categories were identified. Thirty-seven web profiles met their funding goal. Funding increases or goal achievements created for children were associated with increased social-media exposure (i.e., Facebook). This study helped to describe and showcase the financial impacts of OI and effectiveness of a crowdfunding website to alleviate costs. The results highlight the need for further research to better understand OI costs and provide economic supports for individuals with OI.
ABSTRACT
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore the day-to-day experiences of family caregivers who are caring for children with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). BACKGROUND: Osteogenesis Imperfecta is a rare genetic condition known to cause bone fragility. Family caregivers of children with OI play an important role in helping these children live well at home. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive design was used. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in accordance with the COREQ guidelines. Adult family caregivers (n = 18) of children with OI were recruited from a university-affiliated, paediatric orthopaedic hospital in Montreal, Canada. Individual interviews were conducted, transcribed verbatim and inductively thematically analysed. RESULTS: Osteogenesis Imperfecta family caregiving entailed: (a) managing regular day-to-day caregiving activities, including morning routines, evening routines and the facilitation of their child's mobilisation; (b) coping with periods that made the caregiving routine more challenging, such as fractures, surgeries and pain; and (c) devising long-term strategies to support day-to-day care, such as managing the environment, accessing medical and school resources, and coordinating care and respite. CONCLUSIONS: The day-to-day routine of caring for a child with OI may be disrupted by challenging periods and improved by long-term strategies developed to ease day-to-day care. These strategies suggest future directions for clinicians and policymakers to improve health services and caregiver well-being. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Clinical, policy and research endeavours need to incorporate new interventions to support the needs of family caregivers. These recommendations may be relevant to other clinicians and policymakers working with families living with rare and chronic physical conditions.
