Enhancing Self-care Practices at Home for Epileptic Patients at Middle Euphrates Neuroscience Center in AL-Najaf City

Abstract

Background: Self-care Practices is a human regulatory functions that is a deliberate action to supply or ensure the supply of necessary materials needed for continued life, growth, development and to maintain of human integrity.

Aim of study: This study aim to enhancing self-care practices for epileptic patients at home.

Methodology: Quasi-experimental study design carried out in 21 January 2014 to 26 April 2015 at Middle Euphrates Neuroscience Center in AL-Najaf City with application of pre\post-test method. Purposive sample consists of (57) patients who are suffering on epilepsy disorder participated in the study. They are divided as (27) patients (study group) who are received educational program they identify and applied of the right self-care practices related to epileptic patients at home after attending to educational program sessions, while (30) patients did not received program (control group). Data was analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics which was computerized by using of SPSS (version 21).

Results: The results of the study presented highly significant difference in the self-care practices for the epileptic patients who attended structured educational sessions (study group), while there is no significant difference in self-care practices of control group.

Conclusion: The study concluded that the educational program provided improvement in self-care practices of epileptic patients.

Recommendation: The epileptic patients should be educated by specialist nurse in health care center by structured educational program which includes all aspects of the self-care practices, ongoing assessment should be planned to evaluate the application of instructions and education to maintain the epileptic patients health.