Evaluating the Effect of Telenursing and Multimedia Self-Care Educational Program on the Level of Existential Anxiety in Patients with COVID-۱۹: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background & Objective: For patients, COVID-۱۹ disease is a reminder of non-existence and death. For this reason, these patients experience existential anxiety. One of the effective factors in the control and treatment of this disease is to educate patients on self-care to reduce the burden of these psychological problems on them. The present study was designed and conducted with the aim of evaluating the effect of self-care educational program using telemedicine and multimedia methods on the level of existential anxiety in COVID-۱۹ patients. Materials & Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental research conducted on ۸۸ COVID-۱۹ patients referred to the comprehensive health service centers of Bandar Abbas, Iran from ۲۰۲۰ to ۲۰۲۱. Th۰ey were selected using a convenience sampling method. The samples were randomly assigned to the multimedia (۴۴ patients) and telenursing (۴۴ patients) groups. Patients in both groups received education on self-care during COVID-۱۹ disease for ۲۱ days. The Existence Anxiety Scale was completed before and immediately after the intervention. Data were analyzed with SPSS software version ۲۶. Descriptive statistics, normality test, independent t-test, homogeneity of variance and covariance, univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance were used. Results: The mean score of existential anxiety at the beginning of the study was ۹۰.۵۰± ۱۲.۵۷ and ۸۵.۲۵ ±۱۶.۱۲, respectively, in the telenursing and multimedia groups, and after the intervention, it was ۴۶.۸۸ ± ۶.۳۸ and ۶۵.۴۰ ± ۹.۵۹, respectively, in the telenursing and multimedia groups. After the intervention, the existential anxiety score was significantly reduced in the telenursing group compared to the multimedia group (p <۰.۰۰۱). Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, self-care education programs and knowledge about necessary care during COVID-۱۹ illness should be considered for patients in comprehensive health centers, and telenursing should be used for more effective self-care education.

کلیدواژه ها:

Self-care ، Multimedia ، Telenursing ، Anxiety ، COVID-۱۹