The Effects of Education Methods on Body Weight and Some of Serum Indices in Hemodialysis Patients Referred to Qom Kamkar Hospital in 2007

Abstract

Background and objectives: The number of hemodialysis patients has been increasing in recent years. Accumulation of metabolic waste products due to nonobservance of the proper diet is one of the mechanisms that threatens the health of these patients. In this study, the effects of lecture and handbook education methods have been evaluated on changes of body weight, serum sodium, potassium, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and phosphorus in hemodialysis patients. Methods: In this clinical trial study, 113 hemodialysis patients were divided into three groups including control, lecture education, and handbook education groups. The indices were measured monthly, starting 3 months before and continuing for 3 months after the intervention. A comparison was made between the mean of each index measured before and after the intervention, using One-way ANOVA, followed by the Tukey’s post-hoc test. Results: Except sodium concentration, all other indices showed a significant reduction in both lecture and handbook education groups in comparison with controls (P <0.05). Although, in lecture education group the reduction of indices was higher than handbook education group, the reduction was not significant except for the serum blood urea nitrogen. Conclusion: Education can effectively help hemodialysis patients to reduce their weight and serum indices and it seems that education by lecture is more effective than by handbook.

Keywords

• education
• handbook
• lecture
• laboratory manuals
• body weight changes
• hemodialysis