PO-0881 The Effect Of Family Centred Care On The Anxiety Levels Of Children With Cancer And Parents

Abstract

Introduction This research was carried out in order to determine the effect of family centred care on the anxiety levels of children with cancer and parents. Methods The study was carried out in the child oncology clinic of a university hospital between March 2011 and April 2013. The study sample consisted of 33 children, their mothers, and 12 fathers as the study group and 31 children, their mothers, and 10 fathers as the control group. Furthermore, the study consisted 11 nurses and 4 physicians who are employed in the clinic. The data were collected using a Descriptive Questionnaire for Parents and Children, the Family-Centred Care Questionnaire, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The scales were administered to the study and control groups 3 times, once at the first meeting and then in monthly intervals. All data was analysed using SPSS. Results No difference was found during the first measurement between the mean state-trait anxiety scores of the children and parents in the study and control groups. Following the family-centred care training given to the health professionals, the mean state-trait anxiety scores of the children and parents in the study group showed a significant decrease in the last measurements as compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion The study revealed that the family-centred care was effective in reducing the anxiety levels of children with cancer and parents. Thus, we recommend that the practice of family-centred care be proliferated.