Effectiveness of the Nursing Educational Intervention for Caregivers of Oncological-Psychiatric Patients
Keywords:
Health education; caregivers; neoplasms; mental disorders; palliative care; oncology nursing; Cuba.Abstract
Introduction: Caregivers of oncological-psychiatric patients face a unique burden that deteriorates their quality of life. In Cuba, there are no systematic educational support programs for this group. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a nursing educational intervention on the quality of life and burden of primary caregivers of oncological-psychiatric patients in the palliative phase. Methods: Quasi-experimental study (pre-test/post-test) with 100 caregivers (50 intervention/50 control) at the Provincial Teaching Oncology Hospital of Camagüey 2023-2025. A 6-session group educational program, based on Roy's Adaptation Model, was applied. The WHOQOL-BREF and Zarit scales were used, validated by experts concordance >90% and with high reliability (α=0,84-0,89). Results: The intervention group showed a significant reduction in burden (p<0,001; Cohen's d=1,48) and significant improvements in all quality of life domains (p<0,01), with strong inverse correlations between burden reduction and improvements in the psychological (r=-0,72) and social (r=-0,68) domains. 92 % of participants reported high satisfaction.
Conclusions: The nursing educational intervention proved to be effective, viable, and culturally relevant for improving caregiver well-being in a resource-limited context. Its systematic implementation is recommended, representing a relevant contribution to health education and oncological-palliative nursing practice in Cuba.
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