The effect of continuous virtual counseling on care burden and quality of life of family caregivers of patients with leukemia

Determining the effect of ongoing virtual counseling on the burden of care and quality of life of leukemia patients' family caregivers

The present study is a randomized, two-group clinical trial that will be conducted with 90 family caregivers of leukemia patients. Participants will be selected using convenience sampling and will be divided into two control and experimental groups by simple randomization.

This study is a two-group randomized clinical trial involving 90 caregivers of leukemia patients in Hamadan. The intervention group will participate in six virtual counseling sessions, held weekly for 45 to 60 minutes. Caregiver burden and quality of life questionnaires will be administered one month and two months after the final session. The control group will receive only standard training.

Inclusion criteria: Having informed consent to enter the study, at least three months have passed since their patient's leukemia diagnosis by a specialist doctor, access to mobile phone and cyberspace, and age over 18. Exclusion criteria: Death of leukemia patients, and handing over patient care to another person.

In the intervention group, the researcher will conduct six virtual counseling sessions, one per week for 45 to 60 minutes. These sessions will cover topics such as understanding leukemia, self-care, healthy eating, sleep hygiene, time management, stress reduction, positive adjustment, improving social relationships, and accessing social and financial support. Caregiver burden and quality of life questionnaires will be administered one and two months after the final session. The control group will receive only routine training.

Caregivers' burden and quality of life

In the present study, the patients' caregivers will be assigned to two groups according to the determined sample size (90 people), according to the registered entry criteria, and using the block method (the 2-block method will be used; we will place the two letters A and B with different permutations in the blocks, randomly select 45 blocks, and assign each block to 2 people).