Efecto de un programa educativo para cuidadores de personas ancianas: una perspectiva cultural

objective determining the effect of implementing an educational programme using a cultural approach for caregivers looking after elderly disabled and poor people living in a sector of bogota, colombia regarding the following variables: perceived health, family functioning, caregiver burden and depression. methods this was a quasi-experimental study involving pre-test and post-test. 56 family caregivers participated in the study, 37 in the experimental group and 19 in the control group. the educational program being applied consisted of six group sessions with a 30-day interval. each session had five phases: awareness-raising, culturally-appropriate information, making decisions, commitments for action and closure. they were led by a nurse specializing in gerontology-geriatrics and transcultural nursing. several scales were applied: self-perception of health, family apgar, caregiver burden, and a depression scale. results the educational program involving a cultural approach had statistically significant effects on 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. discussion health education activities addressed from a cultural approach opens the way forward for 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.