Abstract
Introduction: One way to improve the quality of life of the patients with thalassemia major is to enable them through education. The present research aimed to explore the effects of an educational intervention through mobile phones on self-care behaviors of the patients with thalassemia majorMethods: In this quasi experimental study, which was done from May to January in 2017, 91 patients were enrolled who were suffering from thalassemia major.The census sampling method was performed with random allocation of interventional and control groups. Educational intervention was only applied to the intervention group. The study instrument was a questionnaire which was filled out by the patients before and two months after the educational intervention. For data analysis, statistical tests including independent samples t-test, paired-samples t-test, Mann-Whitney test and Wilcoxon test, were used through SPSS ver.13 software.Results: Prior to the intervention, the mean scores of knowledge, attitude and self-care behaviors were not significantly different between the intervention and control groups. After the intervention, , however, there was a statistically significant increase in the aforementioned scores in the intervention group, but there was no statistically significant increase in scores of the control group.Conclusion: The present findings showed the positive effect of the mobile-phone mediated education on knowledge, attitude and self-care behaviors of the patients with thalassemia major. Therefore, the use of mobile phone is recommended as an effective way of transferring instructional material as related to self-care to patients with thalassemia major particularly when access to them is limited.
Highlights
One way to improve the quality of life of the patients with thalassemia major is to Article History: enable them through education
The present findings showed the positive effect of the mobile-phone mediated education on knowledge, attitude and self-care behaviors of the patients with thalassemia major
The use of mobile phone is recommended as an effective way of transferring instructional material as related to self-care to patients with thalassemia major when access to them is limited
Summary
One way to improve the quality of life of the patients with thalassemia major is to Article History: enable them through education. The increasing use of this therapy has had such side effects as iron overload, iron accumulation in the body, endocrine defect, heart disease, liver fibrosis and the risk of viral infections.[4] To prevent the above-mentioned damages as a result of iron sedimentation, chelation drugs are normally used It has been indicated in a body of research that the side effects of thalassemia major can vary in developing countries due to an unprincipled application of chelation therapy.[5] besides the side effects of chelation drugs, there are other factors that prevent patients from undergoing the complete therapeutic process.[6] There is a high load of mental pressure imposed on many aspects of these patients’ life, including education, leisure and physical activities often due to anxiety, isolation and depression.[7] The side effects of this disease are further intensified with aging and patients get more and more frustrated.[8] There is a reciprocal relationship between the disease and quality of life, especially among patients with chronic diseases. These interventions require a precise recognition of care needs, evaluation of patients’ potentials of self-care and educating proper selfcare skills in a desired communicative context.[10]
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