Effectiveness of chemotherapy complication control protocol on knowledge and skill among caregivers of children with cancer at selected hospital Chennai, 2013

INTRODUCTION: Children are assets of future and symbol of promise through which we hold the world. They are being cared, guided by their parents. A child with cancer is one of the heaviest burden for the parent. The diagnosis and treatment alters the responsibility among mother and father, creates frustration which may extends over months and years. Globally it is been stated that about 11,630 children were been diagnosed as cancer in 2013 and nearly 1,310 children are expected to die of cancer. In India the cancer statistics is about 124 million and 1.6 to 4.8% of cases are reported below the age of 15 years specially females than males. The children faces various problems during the treatment process and it is been estimated as the overall incidence of chemotherapy-induced hair loss is 65%, nausea and vomiting is approximately 29% while anticipatory vomiting appears to occur in 11%, oral mucositis is to be 40% in children receiving chemotherapy. The significance of the control and the complication encountered during the treatment process is higher, education to the caregivers regarding the management improves physical activity and distress among the children. Thus, the investigator identified the felt needs of the caregivers during her visit to Cancer Institute, Adyar and thought if education is given on chemotherapy complication control measures their anxiety will be reduced and thus proceeded with the study. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of chemotherapy complication control protocol on knowledge and skill among caregivers of children with cancer. Null hypotheses of the study NH1: There is no significant difference between the posttest level of knowledge and skill regarding chemotherapy complication control protocol between experimental and control group at p< 0.05 level. The research process for this study was guided by the conceptual frame work based on Kenny’s open system model. METHODOLOGY: A quasi experimental design was used for the study. The independent variable for the study was chemotherapy complication control protocol and the dependent variable was the knowledge and skill on chemotherapy complication control protocol among caregivers of children with cancer .The study was conducted at the pediatrics unit of Cancer Institute, Adyar (WIA), which had 250 beds. The sample size comprised of 60 caregivers of children with cancer who fulfilled the inclusive criteria. Among 60 caregivers, 30 were in control group and 30 were in experimental group. Non probability purposive sampling technique was utilized to select the samples. The data collection instrument was based on modified WHO guidelines for chemotherapy complication control measures. Video show and booklet on chemotherapy complication control measures and demonstration on skill - hand washing, ORS preparation, salt water gargle, checking temperature using digital thermometer in axilla, tepid sponging was shown to the caregivers. Structured knowledge questionnaire consisting of 40 questions on chemotherapy complication and its control measures and observation checklist for skill assessment was used in the study to assess the effectiveness of chemotherapy complication control protocol for caregivers of children with cancer. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. RESULTS & DISCUSSION: The analysis revealed that the comparison of posttest mean score for knowledge in experimental group was 27.63 with S.D 4.71 and in control group the posttest mean score was 11.57 with S.D 1.59.The calculated unpaired ‘t’ value of t = 17.706 was found to be statistically significant at p < 0.001 level. The comparison of posttest mean score for skill in experimental group was 21.70 with S.D 2.53 and in control group the posttest mean score was 8.80 with S.D 1.90.The calculated unpaired ‘t’ value of t = 22.301 was found to be statistically significant at p < 0.001 level. Hence, the null hypotheses NH1 stated earlier that “There is no significant difference between the posttest level of knowledge and skill regarding chemotherapy complication control protocol between experimental and control group at p< 0.05 level was rejected. This showed that the chemotherapy complication control protocol was effective in promotion of knowledge and skill regarding chemotherapy complication control measures among caregivers for children with cancer. CONCLUSION: The present study assessed the effectiveness of chemotherapy complication control protocol on knowledge and skill among caregivers of children with cancer. On the basis of the above study findings, it is evident that the chemotherapy complication control protocol had a significant effect on enhancing the knowledge and skill among the caregivers. Hence, the chemotherapy complication control protocol can be utilized for the care givers of children with cancer to improve their knowledge and skill