en پرستاری دیجیتال Digital Nursing پژوهشي Research <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:200%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><strong><span style="color:#0f1115">Background</span></strong><span style="color:#0f1115"> Caregivers of individuals with multiple sclerosis experience considerable burdens. Given that educational and supportive interventions can reduce caregiver strain, telephone-based programs offer a potentially accessible and cost-effective solution; however, structured telephone follow-up initiatives remain under-researched in the Middle East. This </span><span style="color:#0f1115">study</span><span style="color:#0f1115"> aimed to investigate the effect of a face</span><span cambria="" math="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#0f1115">‑</span></span><span style="color:#0f1115">to</span><span cambria="" math="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#0f1115">‑</span></span><span style="color:#0f1115">face educational program with telephone follow</span><span cambria="" math="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#0f1115">‑</span></span><span style="color:#0f1115">up on caregiver burden among family caregivers of patients with multiple sclerosis in Iran.</span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:200%"><span calibri="" style="font-family:"><strong><span calibri="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#0f1115">Methods</span></span></strong> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:200%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:#0f1115">This quasi-experimental study was conducted in Iran from 2019 to 2020. Ninety-five family caregivers of multiple sclerosis patients were recruited through convenience sampling and, to minimize contamination, allocated by attendance day after a simple random draw: odd days to the control group (n = 47) and even days to the intervention group (n = 48). The intervention group received three face-to-face educational sessions plus one month of telephone follow-up, whereas the control group received routine care. Caregiver burden was self-assessed using the Zarit Burden Interview at baseline and two months post-intervention. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 25.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:200%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><strong><span style="color:#0f1115">Results&nbsp;</span></strong><span style="color:#0f1115"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><a name="_Hlk231426118">Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups (all p > 0.05). The intervention group demonstrated a statistically significant reduction (p < 0.001), whereas the control group did not show a significant change (p = 0.257). The post-intervention difference between the groups, assessed using an independent t-test, was statistically significant (p < 0.001).</a></span></span></span></span></span><br> <br> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:200%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><strong><span style="color:#0f1115">Conclusion</span></strong><span style="color:#0f1115"> This single</span><span cambria="" math="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#0f1115">‑</span></span><span style="color:#0f1115">center, non</span><span cambria="" math="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#0f1115">‑</span></span><span style="color:#0f1115">blinded trial with a two</span><span cambria="" math="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#0f1115">‑</span></span><span style="color:#0f1115">month follow</span><span cambria="" math="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#0f1115">‑</span></span><span style="color:#0f1115">up suggests that a combined educational and telephone follow</span><span cambria="" math="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#0f1115">‑</span></span><span style="color:#0f1115">up program may reduce caregiver burden in family caregivers of MS patients. Although the intervention is low</span><span cambria="" math="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#0f1115">‑</span></span><span style="color:#0f1115">cost and scalable, further multi-center, blinded studies with longer follow</span><span cambria="" math="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#0f1115">‑</span></span><span style="color:#0f1115">up are needed before recommending routine integration into multiple sclerosis care.</span></span></span></span><br> &nbsp; Education, Family, Multiple Sclerosis, Caregiver Burden, Caregivers, Telephone 51 59 http://unmf.umsu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-4584-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Mohadese Jamehbozorg mohadesejamehbozorg@gmail.com 100319475328460042347 0009-0002-2845-8921 No Master of Science in Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Morteza Shamsizadeh mortezashamsizadeh@gmail.com 100319475328460042348 100319475328460042348 No 2Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Nasser Kamyari n.kamyari@yahoo.com 100319475328460042349 100319475328460042349 No Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran Azim Azizi azimazizi1360@gmail.com 100319475328460042350 100319475328460042350 Yes Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran