The effect of educational program on stress, anxiety and depression of the mothers of neonates having colostomy

Abstract

Objective: One of the problems that mothers of neonates having colostomy face is their disability in caring colostomy at home. This article is going to demonstrate the impact of educational program for these mothers on their sense of empowerment in caring their neonates.

Methods: This clinical trial was performed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) to evaluate the level of stress, anxiety and depression of mothers of neonates having colostomy before and after the educational program. In this program, 42 mothers were divided into two groups: experimental group (21 mothers who went under educational plan) and control group (21 mothers who only received the routine care). The levels of stress, anxiety and depression in all mothers were evaluated before and after the educational program with DASS 21 questionnaire.

Results: The results showed that educational program in the NICU for experimental groups made them independent and also empowered to care better for their babies. In addition, their depression, anxiety and stress levels were decreased.

Conclusion: Since the educational program led to a decrease in the levels of stress, anxiety and depression in mothers, this program is recommended to mothers of neonates having colostomy.

• Anxiety
• colostomy
• depression
• educational program
• mother
• neonate
• stress

Acknowledgements

This study was part of a student thesis in the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery that was financially supported by the Deputy for Research at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The authors wish to thank all people who helped us in different stages of the study, especially the staff of the Nursing Care Research Center, head nurses of Children’s Hospitals and the mothers who participated in this study.

Declaration of interest

None of the authors of this paper has any conflict of interest in or arrangement with companies whose products were used in the study or are referred to in the article. There is no fund given by any agency other than Tehran University of Medical Sciences for the research project.