Effect of an educational protocol for patients' with ulcerative colitis on their related knowledge and self-care practices

ABSTRACT

Ulcerative colitis [UC] refers to a disease in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed. In patients with ulcerative colitis, the immune system inappropriately targets the lining of the colon. Most cases are treated at home, which points to the importance of self-care in its management. This study aim was to determine the effect of an educational program on ulcerative colitis patients' knowledge and self-care practices. To conduct this study a sample of sixty in patients with ulcerative colitis was selected from the tropical medicine department in Assiut University Hospital. They were divided into two equal study and the control groups. The study group received an educational program. Data were collected using a patient assessment interview sheet. Pre-post comparisons of patients' knowledge and practice showed statistically significant improvements in the study group but not in the control groups, p<0.001. The study concluded that although ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition with no cure, it could be well controlled through proper patient education. Therefore, it is important for nurses to teach patients about the condition to enable them to take an active role in own health-care decisions and treatment. The study recommends implementation of the developed educational program for all patients with ulcerative colitis