ABSTRACT
Background: Although Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator [ICD] saves the life of patients with life-threatening ventricular dysrhythmias, it causes various challenges in their life span. Considering the increase in the number of ICD users, more knowledge is required regarding changes in the patients' life after device implantation. The aim of this study was description of changes in daily life of patients after ICD implantation
Methods: This qualitative study was conducted through content analysis method. The participants were selected through purposive sampling. They included 3 women and 9 men whose ages ranged from 24 to 74 years, with the mean age of 42.58+1.55 years. They had implanted ICDs in order to treat life-threatening dysrhythmias. The study data were collected through interview and field notes from November 2013 to October 2014. The data were simultaneously analyzed using constant comparative analysis
Results: Through analysis of the study data, 2 categories were emerged representing dimensions of changes in daily life of the patients with ICD. These categories were changes in the social role and familial challenges after implantation. Change in social role included the following subcategories: "Change in manifestation of routines", "Shift in leisure time", "Change in job and education status", and "Change in interaction between the patient and society members". In addition, familial challenges after implantation consisted of 2 subcategories, namely "Difficulty in marriage" and "ICD implantation and a range of familial changes"
Conclusion: The study findings can be of great importance in nurses' clinical practice for providing the patients with holistic care, education, support, and follow-up. They can also be used as a guide assisting clinical treatment of the patients with ICD
ABSTRACT
Background: Hypothyroidism is a condition caused by a decrease in the thyroid gland hormones. This disease is very common at all age ranges. Regarding its long term therapeutic procedure, this disease can affect the quality of life and the mental health of the patients. The present study aimed to compare the quality of life and mental health in hypothyroid patients and normal people
Methods: This descriptive-analytic investigation was performed using convenience sampling on 95 patients with hypothyroidism and 95 normal cases referring to Motahari clinic between October 2014 and August 2015. Data were collected through General Health Questionnaire [consisted of 4 fields; physical signs, anxiety, social function disorder, depression] and Quality of life Questionnaires. Data were analyzed using Independent t- test, Pearson correlation coefficient and Variance analysis. P-values<0.05 were considered as significant
Results: Both control [normal] and test [patient] groups were matched in demographic characteristics in this study [P>0.001]. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the quality of life of patients and that of the normal people [test and control groups] [P>0.001]. But the comparison of mental health level of patients [59.70] and normal people [48.68] showed a significant difference at all aspects [P<0.001]
Conclusion: Considering and improving the mental health status of such patients can be positively effective in their treatment procedure. Considering this key point in a country like Iran with rich religious backgrounds can be useful in designing self-care and therapeutic programs and even for all people
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Patient Health Questionnaire , Quality of LifeABSTRACT
Cardiovascular diseases are the most prevalent disorders in developed countries and heart failure is the major one among them. This disease is caused by numerous factors and one of the most considerable risk factors is unhealthy lifestyle. So the aim of this research was to study the effect of family-center empowerment model on the lifestyle of heart failure patients. This is a randomized controlled clinical trial on 70 heart failure patients referring to Hazrate Fatemeh heart clinic in Shiraz. After convenience sampling the patients were divided into two control and intervention groups using block randomization Method. The intervention based on family-center empowerment model was performed during 5 sessions. Research tools are lifestyle and demographic information questionnaires. Both intervention and control groups were similar regarding their demographic information [P>0.001]. Before the intervention on lifestyle, all measures of the two groups were equal [P>0.001] but after the intervention; statistically significant differences were reported in all dimensions of lifestyle, the total lifestyle score in the intervention group was 70.09 +/- 16.38 and in the control group -6.03 +/- 16.36 [P<0.001]. Performing the family-center empowerment model for heart failure patients is practically possible, leading to improvement or refinement of their and their families' lifestyle