Abstract

CARRILLO, Gloria Mabel et al. Effect of the caring ability program for family caregivers of children with cancer. rev.colomb.cancerol. [online]. 2014, vol.18, n.1, pp.18-26. ISSN 0123-9015.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of the Program "Caring for the caregivers^®" for the development of caring skills in the family caregivers of children with cancer treated in the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología. Methods: This is a quantitative experimental study with sample and control groups. A socioseñalandemographic characterization of family caregivers was conducted, as well as a measurement of the ability before and after the intervention in both groups. The Caring Ability Inventory of Nkongho was employed. This assessment tool include three dimensions: knowledge, value and patience. The groups were compared using ANOVA and the Student t test. The sample included 106 family caregivers of children with cancer, treated in the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología in 2012. Results: Most of the caregivers of children with cancer were women, mothers, in productive age, whose occupation was housewife. They were mostly from the low and middle socioeconomic strata. These caregivers were permanently dedicated to the care of their children. Both groups had similar results in the characterization, and the results are in agreement with those reported in other studies of family caregivers as regards gender, age, occupation, and dedication to care. The group that received the Program "Caring for the caregivers"^® - institutional version, had better and more positive results in the caring ability, as has been seen in different applications of this Program in Latin America. Conclusions: The applied intervention in the hospital setting is an initiative to take into consideration in the development of caring ability of family caregivers of people with cancer.

Keywords : Caregivers; Family; Neoplasms; Child care.

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