Journal of Leukemia
Open Access

The Impact of an Online Assistance Program on the Pediatric Blood Cancer

Farzaneh Maryam^{* *}Correspondence: Farzaneh Maryam, Department of Fertility, Infertility and Perinatology, University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran, Email:

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Description

As one of the most prevalent diseases in children this century, cancer is regarded as the second greatest cause of death for children in developing nations. This illness accounts for roughly 4% of deaths in children under the age of seven and is the second greatest cause of death in Iran for children under the age of 14. In the past few decades, remarkable advancements in medical technology have resulted in a decline in child mortality and an increase in the survival rate for many children with cancer. Even with advancements in medical science that have improved the prognosis of pediatric hemato-oncologic diseases, parents still view cancer as a "life-changing experience." The care given to children with cancer has a profound impact on the families of those affected, particularly the parents. A significant portion of a child's care is given at home. This places additional duties on parents on top of their parental responsibilities. Accordingly, scientists think that cancer ought to be regarded as a hereditary condition. Evidence based on the research has demonstrated that when a child in the family develops a chronic illness, it can be viewed as a crisis affecting the entire family. As a result, the family members' lifestyle is impacted by the child's illness and they become anxious. In addition, family members typically experience significant social, psychological, and emotional strain since they are the child's primary caregivers and may lack sufficient knowledge about cancer diagnosis and treatment, as well as how to take care of a sick child at home. These difficulties result in a decline in the quality of life for both the caregiver and the patient, which has an impact on the latter's quality of life. Studies have indicated that having a child diagnosed with cancer can cause emotional instability, depression, anxiety, and discord among family members-parents in particular. The detrimental effects of providing care are referred to as caregiver burden in the psychology literature. Care burden encompasses a variety of psychological, emotional, social, and financial issues that are communicated by the caregiver or the patient's family. It is defined as a specific level of stress and issues. Even though the start of treatment, the child's survival, and the start of the child's recovery process may lessen the care burden on family members, parents continue to express uncertainty and distress about this experience long after the child's treatment is over. The care burden can put caregivers at risk for social, emotional, financial, and physical issues, all of which have an adverse effect on the caregiver's overall wellbeing. Furthermore, the caregivers' marital status is negatively impacted by the care burden. The quality of life and subjective marital satisfaction of parents who are caregivers are significantly diminished by the chronic care burden. Therefore, more research and careful consideration should be given to how the burden of chronic care affects family functioning. Thus, one of the most crucial aspects of patient care is attending to the patient's family. Telephone follow-up and in-person training are common supportive interventions for parents of children with cancer.

One of the best ways to have an impact on a learner is through in-person instruction, where the teacher can use effective models based on the learner's characteristics to give the student the chance to actively learn in authentic settings. Nevertheless, the aforementioned techniques have drawbacks that lessen their potency. For example, some parents may prefer to take care of their child themselves and spend time with them rather than attending in-person training sessions because they are unwilling or unable to find other trustworthy caregivers. Internet-based interventions, as opposed to in-person ones, have the capacity to reach a larger audience without adding to expenses and can be made available to users around-the-clock.

Conversely, smartphones pocket PCs, and cell phones are widely utilized. People can now communicate with each other more easily and obtain information more quickly thanks to the use of these portable devices. As a result, various groups, including parents of sick children, can benefit from the use of such devices. One of the newer technologies to enter the communication space in the last ten years is the virtual social network, which has had a big impact on social interactions, education, and learning.