Impact of Health Education on Knowledge of Caregivers of Children Undergoing Radiotherapy
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- Category: Vol. 84, September 2016
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Impact of Health Education on Knowledge of Caregivers of Children Undergoing Radiotherapy, MAHA E. ABU EL-ELA, HANAN M. RASHAD, NAGLAA F. MAHMOUD and REEM M. EMAD EL-DIN
Abstract
Background: According to the World Health Organization, each year, more than 11 million patients worldwide received a new diagnosis of cancer. Radiotherapy is given on its own or it may be given alongside other treatment to improve overall results. Caregivers of children undergoing radiotherapy for cancer face a serious of challenges that require support from multidisciplinary team which includes radiation oncology nurse.
Aim of the Study: To evaluate the impact of health educa-tion on knowledge of caregivers of children undergoing radiotherapy.
Subjects and Methods: A quasi-experimental research design (pre and post-test) was utilized in this study on a convenient sample of thirty caregivers of children undergoing radiotherapy who agreed to participate in the study. This study was conducted in the Radiology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University. Tools that utilized for data collection were structured interviewing questionnaire sheet about radi-otherapy, health instructions handout that developed by the researchers to assess caregivers knowledge before and after health education.
Results: Revealed that the highest percentages of children with cancer were boys, their diagnosis was medulloblastoma followed by Hodgkin lymphoma and Wilm's tumor. Hypothesis was supported as a satisfactory improvement in the total mean knowledge of cancer and radiotherapy scores were found immediately after and after one month follow-up of imple-menting the health education. There was a positive correlation between caregiver's total knowledge score and their educational level.
Conclusion: Caregivers of children undergoing radiother-apy had unsatisfactory knowledge about radiotherapy before implementing health education but they had satisfactory knowledge after exposed to health education.
Recommendation: Health education about radiotherapy should be involved in the routine care for children who are receiving radiotherapy.