Empowering caregivers in the radiotherapy process: the results of a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Purpose: The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile-assisted empowerment program developed specifically for caregivers of cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Methods: In this study, seventy-four individuals who gave care for cancer patients that received radiotherapy between September 2019 and May 2020 were randomized to receive a mobile-assisted empowerment program or standard care. The mobile-assisted empowerment program comprised of education and information related to the radiotherapy process, videos, activities, and question-and-answer modules to support caregivers during the radiotherapy process. Outcome measures were collected at baseline (day 1 of radiotherapy) and on day 21 and included caregiver demographics, distress, quality of life, and coping style using validated questionnaires. Results: Compared with baseline, individuals’ mean scores of distress were lower in the empowerment group than the control group (p < 0.001). General quality of life and sub-dimension mean scores were higher in the empowerment group than the control group (p ? 0.05). There was no difference in the coping style average scores (p ? 0.05) between the two groups. Conclusions: This study supports the findings that a mobile-supported empowerment program reduced the level of caregiver distress and increased quality of life during their loved one’s treatment with radiotherapy. © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.