EFFECTIVENESS OF A LINE APPLICATION TOGETHER WITH TELEPHONE-BASED CONSULTATION AND EDUCATION PROGRAM ON THE DIETARY KNOWLEDGE AND BEHAVIOR AMONG CAREGIVERS OF END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE PATIENTS ON HEMODIALYSIS

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a Line application-based consultation and education program combined with tele-counseling on improving nutritional knowledge and dietary behavior among 68 Caregivers of Caregivers of ESRD patients on hemodialysis in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. Participants were purposively sampled and assigned to either a control group (n=34) or an intervention group (n=34) using a matched-pair technique. The intervention group underwent an 8-week educational program through the Line application and tele-counseling, while the control group received no intervention. Results demonstrated a significant improvement in both dietary knowledge and behavior scores in the intervention group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Specifically, the post-test average scores for dietary knowledge in the experimental group increased from 14.76 (SD = 2.72) to 17.97 (SD = 1.59), while the control group's average scores were 14.85 (SD = 2.87). For dietary behavior, the post-test average scores in the experimental group improved from 1.21 (SD = 0.32) to 1.90 (SD = 0.48), compared to 1.29 (SD = 0.29) in the control group. The findings suggest that using the Line application, a popular communication platform in Thailand, in conjunction with tele-counseling can effectively enhance the nutritional knowledge and dietary behavior of Caregivers of ESRD patients. Healthcare professionals should consider implementing such interventions to improve the overall nutritional status and well-being of Caregivers of ESRD patients on hemodialysis.