Document Type : Original Quantitative and Qualitative Research Paper
Authors
1
Assistant Professor. Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
2
Nurse in pediatric intensive care unit, Dr. Sheikh Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
3
Professor, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Professor, Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences,
4
Professor. Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
5
Birjand university of medical sciences
10.22038/ebcj.2025.85118.3082
Abstract
Background: Caring for children with cancer significantly impacts parents' emotional and physical well-being, often leading to increased stress and caregiver burden.
Aim: This randomized controlled trial aimed to determine the effects of an online supportive program on the care burden of parents of children with leukemia.
Methods: In this randomized controlled clinical trial, 76 parents of children with leukemia in Mashhad, Iran in 2019 were selected and randomly divided into two intervention and control groups, each with 38 members. The participants in the intervention group attended the supportive program held via WhatsApp messenger for one month. The data were collected using the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale at the beginning and one month after the intervention. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS-20 software.
Results: The findings revealed that the mean care burden scores before the intervention did not differ significantly between the two groups (p=0.061). The mean parental care burden score in the intervention group before the intervention was 45.63±4.44 which decreased significantly (p<0.015) after the intervention (42.81±5.07). However, the mean care burden score before the intervention (43.94±3.17) and after the intervention (45.13±4.50) did not show a statistically significant difference for the participants in the control group. After the completion of the intervention, the care burden decreased significantly in the intervention group compared to the control group (p<0.05).
Implications for Practice: Regular supportive programs can be developed and implemented for the main caregivers of patients with other chronic diseases and integrated into the health system.
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