Study to evaluate the efficacy of video-assisted educational strategies in managing chemotherapy side effects among cancer carers in the home environment at the Regional Cancer Centre, Agartala.

Debi Chakrabartie; Biswajit Das; Debjani Shil; Shipra Rani Paul; Mousumi Debnath

Abstract

Introduction and study objectives: The quasi-experimental study examined how video- assisted instruction affected cancer patients at Regional Cancer Centre of Agartala understanding of chemotherapy side effects and coping techniques. Cancer education will help patients cope with challenges and increase self-management, improving quality of life. At Regional Cancer Centre of Agartala, the investigator tested a video-assisted instruction curriculum on chemotherapy side effects at home for cancer carers. Study objectives are as: (i) To evaluate the level of expertise among experimental group carers in the home management of chemotherapy-related adverse effects. (ii) To evaluate the control group's caretakers' expertise of home management of chemotherapy side effects. (iii) To evaluate the differences in comparing the experimental and control groups level of knowledge, and (iv) To observe the correlation between knowledge score and some control group demographic characteristics. Methodology: The researcher used quasi-experimental methods and simple random sampling to measure carers' home chemotherapy side effect management knowledge. The Regional Cancer Centre in Agartala opted to collect a total of 60 samples. Knowledge was measured with a conventional questionnaire. Video-assisted instruction was assessed for effectiveness in the experimental group. We employed split-half reliability. Chemotherapy day care at Regional Cancer Centre, Agartala was the site of the study. This research was almost like an experimental study. The research only included participants who had taken the test after the fact (the "control group"). Sixty 18-45-year-olds who assisted with chemotherapy were split evenly between a control and an experimental group. A 22-item structured knowledge questionnaire was used to gather information regarding chemotherapy's general information, side effects, and home management. The knowledge of the care givers in the experimental group was tested after they had been taught via videos. Statistics for this study were derived using deductive and inductive methods. Descriptive and inferential. Results: Key findings revealed that in the Control group, 30% of respondents were aged 26–35, 73.33% were male, 46.66% had secondary education, 56.66% were unemployed, 53% were urban, and 53.33% were from joint families. In the Experimental group, 43.33% were 26–35, 83% were male, 56.66% had primary education, and 50% were unemployed. Caretakers in the Control group had varying understanding levels (50% acceptable, 40% inadequate, 10% adequate), while the Experimental group showed higher knowledge (46.66% fairly knowledgeable, 50% adequate, 3.33% poor). Video-assisted education Page 2 of 12 demonstrated significant success (t value 4.59*). In the Experimental group, post-test knowledge correlated strongly with geographic location. Conclusions: Video-assisted instruction enhanced cancer patients' knowledge, coping skills, and chemotherapy safety. Although nurses demonstrated substantial improvement in knowledge, attitude, and practice, resource shortages hindered progress in the oncological unit. Urgent upgrades are recommended to ensure safe practices and mitigate chemotherapy drug side effects.

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