Table 2.

Key dimensions of hope

Concept of hope within health care setting	Paradoxical dimensions of hope	Associated impact on healthcare provision
Medical care requires hope in improvement through recommended therapeutics (Cooper et al., 2014)	Positive: allowing space for improvements in chronic conditions (e.g. disability) (Mattingly, 2010)	Intervention uptake; positive mental health and coping of caregivers; motivation
In face of uncertainty, caregivers must be invested in ‘potential’ of different outcomes (Taussig et al., 2013)	Negative: sustaining hope that is inconsistent with available resources and clinical settings (Mattingly, 2010)	Rejection of clinical diagnosis if they are negative; caregivers putting more trust in professionals who offer hope, even if unrealistic

Source: Prepared by the authors, based on Cooper et al. (2014), Taussig et al. (2013) and Mattingly (2010).