The Effect of Self-Care Education on Life Quality in Patients with epilepsy

Introduction: Epilepsy is the most common chronic neurological disease. Health-related quality of life in patients with epilepsy is disturbed by psychosocial factors, seizures, and treatment side effects.This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of self-care plan on the life quality in patients with epilepsy. Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 28 patients with epilepsy going to Tehran Neurology Clinic were selected by simple random sampling and were divided into two case and control groups. The instrument was a standard questionnaire of measuring quality of life which was completed during an interview before the intervention. After determining the educational needs of the patients, an educational program was held for the case group. The data were analyzed using SPSS-21 and Paired t-test. Findings: Mean and standard deviation age of the patients was 38.3 ± 9.5. The results showed that the total mean of life quality before the intervention was 59.34 ± 20.82 in the intervention and 57.66 ± 20.87 in the control group (P = 0.31). After the intervention, the total mean of quality of life was 73.18 ± 18.18 in the intervention group and 60.05 ± 20.72 in the control group (P = 0.001). Also, there was a significant difference between the items of life quality-including the physical, psychological and social relationships and living environment items-before and after the interventions. Conclusion: The findings showed that self-care could positively affect life quality items. It is hoped that by formation of educational supportive associations or at least a well equipped rehabilitation center for the patients, the patients can be provided with facilities of self-care as well as a condition in which the patients themselves carry out their self care.

کلیدواژه ها:

epilepsy ، Self – care ، Quality of life ، Patient