Nutritional Instruction Program: for Mothers of Children with Nephrotic Syndrome: Quasi-Experimental Study

Marwah Salih Muslim

doi:10.36321/kjns.vi20262.24604

Authors

Marwah Salih Muslim Department of pediatric Nursing, College of Nursing, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36321/kjns.vi20262.24604

Keywords:

Nutritional Instruction Program, Mothers’ Knowledge, Nephrotic Syndrome.

Abstract

Background: Children with nephrotic syndrome (NS), a prevalent chronic renal illness, have protein leakage through a pathologically altered glomerular filtration membrane. Nutritional management is crucial for infants with renal disease, especially nephrotic syndrome. It is also crucial for toddlers, especially, to support their delayed infantile stage of growth, which may last until they are 2-3 years old. Although diet can help prevent these issues, there is a shortage of research on the best diets for children with NS. To avoid the progression of kidney damage, they require customized dietary choices both during the acute phase of the disease and during remission. A multidisciplinary approach involving family doctors, pediatric nephrologists, nutritionists, and parents is necessary for the proper management of these children's diet.

Aim of the study: This study aimed to determine the effect of a nutritional instruction program on mothers’ knowledge of nutritional therapy for children with nephrotic syndrome, and to find out the relationship between mothers' knowledge and their demographic characteristics.

Methods and materials: A quasi-experimental design was carried out from February, 2022 to July, 2023. A non-probability purposive sample of (50) mothers was admitted to the nephrology ward at the hospital. The questionnaire and the program contents’ validity were determined by a panel of (13) experts to evaluate their clarity, relevance, and appropriateness for the accomplishment of reliability. Descriptive and inferential data analyses were used to analyze the study data: frequency, percentage, mean score, and t-test through SPSS version 22.

Results: The results of the study demonstrated that, except for some items, knowledge scores were low and improved after the program.

Conclusions: The study found that the information of the nutritional instruction program improved the mothers’ knowledge about nutritional therapy for children with nephrotic syndrome.