Applying the Timing It Right Framework to Caregiver Experiences and Needs in Adult Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy - A Longitudinal Qualitative Study

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Damian

Applying the Timing It Right (TIR) theoretical framework, the study examines how caregiver experiences and needs evolve across five phases of adult percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placement in a Chinese cultural context. Using a descriptive phenomenological design, researchers recruited 12 family caregivers from a tertiary hospital in Guangzhou (Dec 2024–Jun 2025). Semi-structured interviews were analyzed with the Colaizzi seven-step method and NVivo v17 to extract stage-specific themes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Purpose and Methods

Results

Diagnostic stage

Stabilization stage

Discharge readiness stage

Adjustment stage

Adaptation period

Conclusion

Keywords

Patient Preference and Adherence Open Access Full Text Article ORIGINAL RESEARCH Applying the Timing It Right Framework to Caregiver Experiences and Needs in Adult Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study Xi Li 1 , 2 , Xinru Zhang 1 , 2 , Yu Guo 1 , Weiqing Ruan 1 1Huiqiao Medical Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Nursing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, People’s Republic of China Correspondence: Weiqing Ruan, Huiqiao Medical Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13533399913, Email [jamela@sina.com](jamela@sina.com) | Purpose: Applying the Timing It Right (TIR) theoretical framework, we explored the evolving experiences and needs of caregivers supporting adult percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) patients during different cycles of PEG placement, within a Chinese cultural context.
Patients and Methods: A descriptive phenomenological research design was used to select 12 family caregivers of PEG patients ina tertiary hospital in Guangzhou from December 2024 to June 2025 through purposive sampling combined with the maximum difference strategy. Based on the TIR framework, the PEG course was divided into five stages (diagnosis, stabilization, discharge preparation, adjustment, and adaptation) . Semi-structured in depth interviews were conducted with caregivers at each stage. The Colaizzi 7-step method and NVivo V.17 software were used to analyze the data and extract themes.
Results: The themes of the experiences and needs of PEG caregivers at different stages were as follows: 1. Diagnostic stage: anxiety and worry, lack of disease awareness, and passivity in medical decision-making. 2. Stabilization stage: coping with the postoperative comfort management needs of patients and sense of treatment benefit. 3. Discharge readiness stage: caregiving skills training needs and resource accessibility concerns. 4. Adjustment stage: continuity of care needs, daily care challenges (wound care needs, gastrostomy tube adjustment period), and caregiver socioeconomic role reconstruction. 5. Adaptation period: rehabilitation expectations, reality conflicts, and self-efficacy enhancement.
Conclusion: The notable variations in the demands and experiences of PEG caregivers at various phases of caregiving highlighted how crucial it was to create a staged support system that was accurate and culturally sensitive to maximize healthcare resources and effectively empower caregivers.
Keywords: experience and needs, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, caregivers, timing it right theory, qualitative research | | --- | | Introduction
Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is the main nutritional support for patients with long-term swallowing dysfunction.1 It has the advantages of minimal invasiveness, low risk of infection, and preservation of patient dignity.2 PEG has been increasingly used in the management of neurological disorders and head and neck tumors.3,4 According to the American College of Gastroenterology, there are about 200,000 PEG tube placements per year in the United States alone.5 Similar figures have been confirmed by studies in Taiwan.6 With the development of medical technology, the number of patients selecting PEG therapy continues to grow.
Due to primary disease limitations, most PEG patients rely on family caregivers for basic daily activities, gastrostomy tube maintenance, nutritional feeding, and management of complications.7 This leads to changes in the lifestyle of the caregiver and accumulated fatigue resulting in decreased quality of life, sleep disorders, and psychological problems.8,9 | Received: 29 September 2025 Accepted: 23 December 2025 Published: 31 December 2025 Patient Preference and Adherence 2025:19 4353–4367 4353 © 2025 Li et al. This work is p

FAQs

What theoretical framework guided the study of caregiver needs for adult PEG patients?

The study used the Timing It Right (TIR) theoretical framework to explore evolving caregiver experiences and needs across different PEG placement cycles.

How were caregivers and data collected for the study?

Twelve family caregivers were purposively sampled using a maximum difference strategy. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted at each PEG phase, then analyzed using the Colaizzi seven-step method and NVivo v17.

What major caregiver needs changed across the PEG stages?

Across stages, caregivers faced anxiety and limited disease awareness during diagnosis, focused on postoperative comfort management during stabilization, sought caregiving skills and resources before discharge, navigated continuity-of-care and role reconstruction during adjustment, and worked through rehabilitation expectations and self-efficacy during adaptation.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Damian