Structured teaching programme enhances the knowledge of mothers to take care of children with leukaemia

Abstract

We assumed that the parents of children who are undergoing treatment for leukaemia experience practical challenges in taking care of the side effects of chemotherapy. In this study, the effectiveness of a structured teaching programme on knowledge about home management of chemotherapy side effects among parents is determined. Furthermore, the study also aimed at finding an association between the pre-test knowledge score of parents and selected baseline information of subjects as well as children. A quantitative, experimental research approach was used to assess the effectiveness of a structured teaching programme on enhancement of mothers’ knowledge about childcare for leukaemic children in the Cancer Research Institute, Sri Raghvendra Hospital, India. A teaching intervention was given, and in the post-test period the same structured knowledge questionnaire was used. Practise was assessed using the interview method by direct observation. Post-intervention, the education of the mother and sex of the child were significantly associated with the knowledge and practise of mothers regarding their care of children with leukaemia. Before the intervention, many more mothers had inadequate and moderate knowledge than had adequate knowledge. The study found that the total number of mothers with moderate and adequate knowledge increased significantly. Overall, the mean knowledge score increased significantly to 18.75 after the intervention. From the study results, it can be concluded that a structured teaching programme on knowledge about home management of chemotherapy side effects was found to be effective in increasing the knowledge among parents of children who receive chemotherapy.