[The effect of an elderly people caregivers' educational program: a cultural perspective].
OBJECTIVE
Determining the effect of implementing a culturally-based educational program for caregivers working with the elderly in conditions of disability and poverty in a sector of Bogota, Colombia; perceived health, family functioning, caregiver burden and depression were the variables of interest.


METHODS
This was a quasi-experimental study, involving using pre-test and post-test;56 family caregivers participated: 37 in the experimental group and 19 in the control group. The educational program consisted of six group sessions with a 30-day interval. Each session had five phases: sensitization, culturally-appropriate information, decision-making, commitment to action and closure. These were led by a nurse who was an expert in gerontology-geriatrics and transcultural nursing. Several scales were applied: self-perception of health, family Apgar, caregiver burden and depression scale.


RESULTS
The culturally-based educational program had statistically significant effects on the variables being considered: family functioning (T=2.506; p=0.015) and caregiver burden (p=-2.149 T=0.036). Self-perception of health and depression revealed no statistically significant differences.


CONCLUSIONS
Health education activities addressed from a cultural approach may lead to co-creating therapeutic diversity arising from dialogue and mediation between popular and professional knowledge. It could be a key against the lack of success in users' adherence to health facilities and treatment.
Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. vvelasquez@bt.unal.edu.co
Vilma
V
Velásquez
Lucero
L
López
Heddy
H
López
Nhora
N
Cataño
Esperanza
E
Muñoz
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000451:nursing; D003105:Colombia; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D005851:Geriatric Nursing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population