The Perceived Informational Needs of Family Caregivers of Children Hospitalized in a Burn Department: A Cross-sectional Study

Children are most vulnerable to burn injuries, and their families are their most important source of support. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the information needs of such parents and support them to help children adapt to the new situation, recover to pre-accident conditions, and reintegrate into school and society. This study aimed to investigate the perceived information needs of family caregivers of children admitted to the burn wards of hospitals. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 family caregivers of children admitted to the burn ward of a hospital in Tabriz, Iran. Participants were selected through convenience sampling, and the required data were collected by using questionnaires on socio-demographic information, information needs, information resources, and information acquisition methods. The obtained data were analyzed statistically using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage) and inferential statistics (Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests). Results indicated that the greatest informational need among family caregivers was related to the child's condition. The treatment team was identified as the most important source of information for them. It was found that information should be provided in a comprehensive and understandable manner, while maintaining honesty and human dignity. The study findings contribute to our understanding of the specific information needs of family caregivers in managing the medical care of children with burns. These findings can serve as a basis for interventions and support services aimed at meeting the needs of these families and improving the quality of care for children with burns.