International Journal of Nursing Research

Objective Malnutrition is highly prevalent in pediatric patients with Crohn’s disease. Oral nutritional supplementation (ONS) represents a core therapeutic strategy, but its clinical efficacy is often limited by poor adherence and insufficient disease-related knowledge in children and their caregivers. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the teach-back method in enhancing health education for this population. Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted. The intervention group received standardized health education using the teach-back method, consisting of in-hospital training and weekly remote follow-up after discharge. The control group was provided with conventional health education. Both groups underwent six sessions of education and 12 weeks of follow-up. Outcomes were assessed using a self-designed knowledge questionnaire, a quality-of-life scale, and anthropometric measurements including body weight, BMI, weight-for-age Z-score, and height-for-age Z-score. Results Compared with the control group, the intervention group exhibited significantly higher scores in all dimensions and the total score of ONS-related knowledge (P<0.05), as well as significantly higher scores in all subscales and the total score of quality of life (P<0.05) after intervention. Conclusion The teach-back method effectively improves ONS-related knowledge, practical compliance, nutritional status and quality of life among pediatric patients with Crohn’s disease and their caregivers. It is a feasible and effective educational strategy worthy of widespread application in the long-term management of pediatric chronic gastrointestinal diseases.

Feedback method; Education; Crohn’s disease; Oral enteral nutrition; Quality of life