EFFECT OF SELF-MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ON THE ANXIETY LEVEL OF PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS OF MS SOCIETY BRANCH

Multiple sclerosis is the most common neurological disorder in young adults who have various mental and physical manifestations. Anxiety is a mental symptom of the disorder that is correlated with exacerbation of MS. This study aimed to determine the effect of self-management program on anxiety of patients with multiple sclerosis. This experimental study is a pre and post test. 80 patients with multiple sclerosis who had inclusion criteria were randomly selected and divided into two groups of control (40) and intervention (40). STAI anxiety questionnaire was completed before and after the intervention. Self-management program was planned based on the results of the assessment and were held in intervention groups in four sessions for each group of 10 persons for a total of 16 sessions in two months. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16 and were performed using descriptive and inferential statistical tests. The findings showed that there is a statistically significant difference between two groups in their anxiety mean scores in patients with MS (0.020 = P). Anxiety mean scores of patients in the intervention group decreased after self-management program that independent t-test showed a significant reduction between the two groups (0.024= P). Self-management program is effective in reducing anxiety in patients with MS. The results of these studies show the necessity of self-management program in the long-term to reduce mental health problems which is recommended in patients with multiple sclerosis.