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.
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.
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.
[1] Kristensson-Hallstrom, I. (2000) Parental Participation in Pediatric Surgical Care. AORN Journal, 71, 1021-1024, 1026-1029.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0001-2092(06)61551-2 [2] Lam, L.W., Chang, A.M. and Morrissey, J. (2006) Parents’ Experiences of Participation in the Care of Hospitalised Children: A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 43, 535-545.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2005.07.009 [3] Ojmyr-Joelsson, M., et al. (2006) Parental Experiences: Care of Children with High and Intermediate Imperforate Anus. Clinical Nursing Research, 15, 290-305.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1054773806291856 [4] Ygge, B.M. and Arnetz, J.E. (2004) A Study of Parental Involvement in Pediatric Hospital Care: Implications for Clinical Practice. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 19, 217-223.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2004.02.005 [5] Wigert, H., et al. (2006) Mothers’ Experiences of Having Their Newborn Child in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 20, 35-41.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6712.2006.00377.x [6] Mo, R., Kim, J.H., Zhang, J., Chiang, C., Hui, C.C. and Kim, P.C. (2001) Anorectal Malformations Caused by Defects in Sonic Hedgehog Signaling. American Journal of Pathology, 159, 765-774. [7] Ozturk, H., et al. (2007) A Comprehensive Analysis of 51 Neonates with Congenital Intestinal Atresia. Saudi Medical Journal, 28, 1050-1054. [8] Pena, A., Grasshoff, S. and Levitt, M. (2007) Reoperations in Anorectal Malformations. Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 42, 318-325.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2006.10.034 [9] Searles, J.M., Nour, S. and MacKinnon, A.E. (1995) Mitrofanoff Stoma—An Iceberg of Problems? European Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 5, 19-20.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-2008-1066256 [10] Ameh, E.A., Mshelbwala, P.M., Sabiu, L. and Chirdan, L.B. (2006) Colostomy in Children—An Evaluation of Acceptance among Mothers and Caregivers in a Developing Country. South African Journal of Surgery, 44, 138-139. [11] Polit, E.P. and Beck, C.T. (2006) Essentials of Nursing Research. 6th Edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia. [12] Krippendorf, K. (2004) Content Analysis: An Introduction to Its Methodology. Sage Publications, Thousands Oakes. [13] Nisell, M., Ojmyr-Joelsson, M., Frenckner, B., Rydelius, P.A. and Christensson, K. (2003) How a Family Is Affected When a Child Is Born with Anorectal Malformation. Interviews with Three Patients and Their Parents. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 18, 423-432.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0882-5963(03)00029-0 [14] Duong, T.H., Jansson, U.B. and Hellstrom, A.L. (2012) Vietnamese Mothers’ Experiences with Potty Training Procedure for Children from Birth to 2 Years of Age. Journal of Pediatric Urology, 9, 808-814. [15] Duong, T.H., Holmdahl, G., Viet Nguyen, D., Sillén, U., Jansson, U.-B. and Hellstrom, A.L. (2013) Micturition Pattern in Young Boys with Posterior Urethral Valves—A Pilot Study in Small Boys Who Are Potty-Trained from Infancy. Open Journal of Pediatrics, 3, 358-363.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojped.2013.34064 [16] Ekman, I., Swedberg, K., Taft, C., Lindseth, A., Norberg, A., Brink, E., et al. (2011) Person-Centered Care—Ready for Prime Time. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 10, 248-251.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejcnurse.2011.06.008 [17] Noyes, J. (2000) Enabling Young “Ventilator-Dependent” People to Express Their Views and Experiences of Their Care in Hospital. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 31, 1206-1215.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.2000.01376.x [18] Bray, L., Callery, P. and Kirk, S. (2012) A Qualitative Study of the Pre-Operative Preparation of Children, Young People and Their Parents’ for Planned Continence Surgery: Experiences and Expectations. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 21, 1964-1973.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.03996.x [19] Nations, U. (1989) UN Convention of the Rights of the Child. United Nations, Geneva. [20] Nisell, M., Ojmyr-Joelsson, M., Frenckner, B., Rydelius P.A. and Christensson, K. (2008) Views on Psychosocial Functioning: Responses from Children with Imperforate Anus and Their Parents. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 22, 166-174.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pedhc.2007.04.016 [21] Josefsson, U., Berg, M., Koinberg, I., Hellstr?m, A.L., Nolbris, M.J., Ranerup, A., et al. (2013) Person-Centred Web-Based Support—Development through a Swedish Multi-Case Study. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 13, 119.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6947-13-119 [22] Hellstrom, A.L., Svensson, A.S., Samuelsson, I.P. and Nolbris, M.J. (2012) A Web-Based Programme for Person-Centred Learning and Support Designed for Preschool Children with Long-Term Illness: A Pilot Study of a New Intervention. Nursing Research and Practice, 2012, Article ID: 326506.