AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of using the empowerment concept during the development of a mutual-help group for haemodialysis. BACKGROUND: Haemodialysis has different impacts on patients' physical, psychological and social health. The effects of mutual-support group have been found in groups of chronic disease patients. However, none of them were for haemodialysis patients. DESIGN: An intervention-evaluation design was used for this study. The intervention process was divided into four phases: (1) assessment, (2) planning, (3) action and (4) evaluation/feedback. As part of this study, a mutual-help group was formed that met eight times for group activities over a three-month study period. RESULTS: There were three indicators of empowerment outcomes. Physical symptoms decreased significantly after the patients had participated in the mutual-help group (z = -2.893, p < 0.05), especially symptoms such as itchy skin, insomnia and spasms. In terms of the patients' social network and social functions, social support increased significantly (z = -3.412, p < 0.05). The total score for the patients' quality of life also showed a significant improvement (z = -3.408, p < 0.05) with the emotional and health dimensions improving the most. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that supports the use of mutual-help groups as a means of aiding patients with chronic illness to cope with their illness. Mutual-help groups are a necessary future direction in nursing that will improve the quality of health care for patients' with chronic illness. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The study found that a mutual-help group not only can improve patient's illness adaptability, but also brought about a range of other empowerment outcomes. It also had many positive impacts for the hospital. Therefore, it will be beneficial for the patients with a chronic illness if health care professionals can be sensitive to relevant factors and construct mutual-support groups based on the empowerment concept.
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AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of using the empowerment concept during the development of a mutual-help group for haemodialysis. BACKGROUND: Haemodialysis has different impacts on patients' physical, psychological and social health. The effects of mutual-support group have been found in groups of chronic diseasepatients. However, none of them were for haemodialysis patients. DESIGN: An intervention-evaluation design was used for this study. The intervention process was divided into four phases: (1) assessment, (2) planning, (3) action and (4) evaluation/feedback. As part of this study, a mutual-help group was formed that met eight times for group activities over a three-month study period. RESULTS: There were three indicators of empowerment outcomes. Physical symptoms decreased significantly after the patients had participated in the mutual-help group (z = -2.893, p < 0.05), especially symptoms such as itchy skin, insomnia and spasms. In terms of the patients' social network and social functions, social support increased significantly (z = -3.412, p < 0.05). The total score for the patients' quality of life also showed a significant improvement (z = -3.408, p < 0.05) with the emotional and health dimensions improving the most. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that supports the use of mutual-help groups as a means of aiding patients with chronic illness to cope with their illness. Mutual-help groups are a necessary future direction in nursing that will improve the quality of health care for patients' with chronic illness. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The study found that a mutual-help group not only can improve patient's illness adaptability, but also brought about a range of other empowerment outcomes. It also had many positive impacts for the hospital. Therefore, it will be beneficial for the patients with a chronic illness if health care professionals can be sensitive to relevant factors and construct mutual-support groups based on the empowerment concept.
Authors: Amanda Baumgart; Karine E Manera; David W Johnson; Jonathan C Craig; Jenny I Shen; Lorena Ruiz; Angela Yee-Moon Wang; Terence Yip; Samuel K S Fung; Matthew Tong; Achilles Lee; Yeoungjee Cho; Andrea K Viecelli; Benedicte Sautenet; Armando Teixeira-Pinto; Edwina A Brown; Gillian Brunier; Jie Dong; Nicole Scholes-Robertson; Tony Dunning; Rajnish Mehrotra; Saraladevi Naicker; Roberto Pecoits-Filho; Jeffrey Perl; Martin Wilkie; Allison Tong Journal: Nephrol Dial Transplant Date: 2020-11-01 Impact factor: 5.992