The effect of supportive nursing intervention on burden and coping strategies of cargivers of children with cancer

Abstract

Background and objective: Cancer is a serious health problem. Children with cancer are in particular need of support and care due to its complications followed by chemotherapy. These children should be cared for at home by family caregivers, and this places great mental and physical burden on caregivers. Therefore, appropriate and effective nursing interventions are essential in order to decrease burden and improve their coping pattern. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of supportive nursing intervention on the burden of care and coping pattern in caregivers of children with cancer.

Methods: Research design: A Quasi-study pre, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention was used to test the study hypothesis and fulfill the aim of the study. Setting: The study was conducted at outpatient clinic in Specialized Pediatric Hospital at Benha City. Subjects: Sixty caregivers for children with cancer was chosen through convenient sampling method and divided by using table of random numbers into two groups, study and control group. Caregivers of the study group attended seven nursing intervention sessions. Tools: The tools used were (1) An inertviewing questionnaire which include two part; sociodemoghaphic date and medical history for child and thier caregivers (2) Zarit Burden Scale (3) Coping Health Inventory for caregivers parents (CHIP).

Results: During the study period, burden decreased in the study group and increased in the control group. Mean burden of care score before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention was 42.2, 33.7, and 25.6, respectively, in the study group and 44.2, 46.1, and 48.5, respectively, in the control group. In addition, the mean burden score in the study group significantly decreased in comparison with the control group (p < .001). Also, coping strategies increased in the study group and decreased in the control group. Mean coping pattern score before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention was 32.8, 47.5, 53.6, respectively, in the study group and 34.7, 30.7 and 26.2, respectively, in the control group. In addition, the mean coping pattern score in the study group significantly improved in comparison with the control group (p < .001).

Conclusions: The supportaive nursing intervention can decrease burden in caregivers of children with cancer and consequently improve their methods of coping.