Self-Care and related factors with it in patients with epilepsy in isfahan

Self-care is an important process in the control of chronic diseases especially epilepsy. The aim of this study was to investigate the self-care situation and the affecting factors on it in patients with epilepsy living in Isfahan.
In this sectional study, 320 patients were chosen with large seizures clientele by simple random sampling from hospitals (Hospitals that accept patients with epilepsy), neurologists’clinics, and epilepsy associations in Isfahan. The inclusion criteria in this study was comprised of epileptic patients living in Isfahan and its suburbs, having a medical record, at least one year history of the disease, and the patient's willingness to participate in the study. The data collection tools was a researcher questionnaire (validity and reliability of the tool was approved by experts in this issue and its Cronbach's alpha coefficient was estimated to be 0.80). This questionnaire evaluated the self-care status and the influencing factors on it in patients. Data were analyzed by using independent t-test and a one way variance analysis were analyzed.
The average scores for self-care in patients (0.39±13.26) and self-care situation was undesirable. Knowledge of the disease with average (4.34±12.86) was desirable but skill (0.8±8.24) and ability (10.70±25.98) were undesirable and half favorable. Self-care scores based on age, sex, education and marital status did not differ significantly. Regression analyses revealed that self-care behaviors and a total of 21% of behavior variance was predictable.
In order to improve the health of patients with epilepsy and appropriate disease control,teaching programs with the aim of empowering patients in the field of self-care should be considered. Patients with higher education and those who are symptomatic, may be more likely to engage in self-care than those who are poorly educated or asymptomatic. Epilepsy self-care is both a process and a set of behaviors that helps people care about their epilepsy. Self-care encompasses the process and the behaviors needed to manage a wide range of skills.