The Effect of an Educational Program Based on Orem's Self-care Model on Treatment Adherence, Self-care Behaviors, and Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients in Iran: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVES

Patients undergoing hemodialysis encounter a wide range of complex challenges, underscoring the essential role of self-care in disease management. The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of an educational intervention grounded in Orem's self-care model for enhancing treatment adherence, self-care behaviors, and quality of life among hemodialysis patients in southern Iran.

METHODS

This single-blind randomized controlled trial included 120 hemodialysis patients who met the predetermined eligibility criteria. Data were collected between April 2023 and August 2023 at 2 university-affiliated teaching hospitals located in southern Iran. After providing informed consent, participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (n=60) or the control group (n=60) through a simple randomization procedure. Three psychometrically robust instruments were used to collect data: the End-Stage Renal Disease Adherence Questionnaire, the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form, and the Self-Management Behavior Scale. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 23, and p-values<0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

At baseline, no statistically significant differences were observed between the intervention and control groups in the mean scores of the measured variables. However, immediately following the intervention and at the 3-month follow-up, the intervention group demonstrated statistically significant improvements across all 3 variables.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings underscore the effectiveness of an educational program based on Orem's self-care model in significantly improving self-care behaviors, treatment adherence, and quality of life among hemodialysis patients.