Men with adult-onset epilepsy: Their experiences of health care provider relationship qualities following neurosurgery

Abstract The success of a lobectomy procedure for adult-onset epileptic seizure (AOES) would depend on the quality of the patient’s relationship with the health care provider. This ethnographic multiple case study explored patient and health professional relationship contexts following surgery for seizure activity reduction treatment. We interviewed five Australian men (aged 34–59) with a history of AOES and neurosurgery regarding the quality of their relationship with health care providers. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) of the data yielded three interrelated relationship themes of Timeliness (promptness of necessary care), Support (availability, understanding, and empathy), and Responsibility (adaptive communication, self-care, and decision-making ownership). Self-directed relationship resourcing enhanced subjective well-being in the patients.