Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of care programs for caregivers of children with epilepsy by collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing both domestic and international empirical evidence published from 1990- 2012. Based on electronic database and manual searches, nine research papers met the inclusion criteria, comprising one classified at level A, and eight classified at level B. The results of the study revealed that the programs could be divided into individualized programs and group programs. The individualized programs were a kind of educational program which was subdivided into a form of one-way communication, i.e., distributing leaflets to caregivers, a form of two-way communication, i.e., providing teaching along with distributing pamphlets, or sending information to caregivers at home and following up on the phone periodically. The group program was subdivided into an educational program in the form of two-way communication, i.e., group discussions, and the educational and training program, i.e., group discussions along with skill training. These programs took from 30 minutes to 16 hours. Nurses could carry out the program by themselves or in association with multidisciplinary teams. The programs were mostly held at the outpatient units. As a consequence, the programs enabled caregivers to improve knowledge on epilepsy, have good communication skills, relieve anxiety, and minimize emotional problems and demands for information, as well as contributed to better quality of life for caregivers and children."