Thi Hoa Chu¹, Thi Hoa Duong^1,2*

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¹ National Hospital of Pediatrics, Hanoi, Vietnam.
² Centre for Person-Centred Care (GPCC), Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Abstract: Objectives: To describe and investigate the value of an education program for parents of children born with an imperforate anus in order to help them cope with the new situation of having a stoma. A comparison is made with a group of parents following routine hospital. A secondary aim was to illuminate the parents’ feelings and concerns in the first month after the birth of the child. Subjects and methods: The program was tested in 20 Vietnamese mothers of babies born with an imperforate anus; 10 followed an intervention comprising an education program and 10 the ordinary routine hospital. The study design is both qualitative and quantitative. The mothers were interviewed, using open-ended questions, within a week of their child’s birth and then repeatedly for up to one month. Finally, the conditions of children were accessed on their return to the hospital for the second operation after one month of care at home. The qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. Results: All mothers felt sad and worried in the beginning, but this quickly changed to confidence, particularly among mothers in the intervention group who received education. While at home, mothers in both groups had financial concerns, as they were unable to work as much as expected and also had to buy equipment for colostomy care. The mothers in the control group complained about a lack of knowledge and how it affected the care of their child. The mothers in the intervention group, however, felt confident in their caring even at home. When the families returned for the second operation, the children in the intervention group were significantly healthier, had increased more in weight, and had fewer complications and emergency return visits to hospital compared to the control group. In the control group skin problems around the stoma, diarrhea, bleeding or constipation while at home were reported (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The education improved the care at home resulting in healthier children and more confident parents.

Keywords: Imperforate Anus, Participation, Education for Parents

Cite this paper: Chu, T. , Duong, T. (2015) Education of Parents When a Child Born with an Imperforate Anus; Does It Improve the Health of the Child?. Open Journal of Pediatrics, 5, 90-98. doi: 10.4236/ojped.2015.51014.

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