The Effects of the Preterm Caregiver Support Program on Caregivers’ Knowledge and Home-Care Behaviors

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a supportive program for caregivers of premature infants on caregivers’ knowledge and home care behaviors in Health Region 5. The study employed a two-group pretest–posttest design. The sample consisted of caregivers of premature infants, with the sample size calculated using the G*Power program, yielding a total of 110 participants, divided equally into an experimental group (n = 55) and a control group (n = 55). Systematic sampling was used to select caregivers who provided care for the infant at least four days per week. The inclusion criteria for infants were the absence of congenital anomalies, a history of hospitalization in a neonatal unit, and the need for continued care after discharge. The intervention program was developed based on Orem’s Supportive–Educative Nursing System and Self-Care Theory (Orem, 2001), with the purpose of enhancing caregivers’ self-care agency. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including means, standard deviations, and statistical tests to compare mean differences between the two groups.

The results indicated that caregivers in the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher levels of knowledge and improved home care behaviors compared with their baseline measurements and with the control group (p < .05). These findings suggest that the supportive program was effective in enhancing caregivers’ capacity through the provision of information, nursing support, and continuous follow-up. It is recommended that future studies expand the implementation of this program to diverse contexts, examine long-term outcomes, compare its effectiveness with other models such as mobile health or telehealth interventions, and promote its integration into health policy to ensure sustainability.